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Brain cancer is the most deadly disease for children and adults alike. In the U.S., cancer is second only to heart disease as the leading cause of death in both young people and older people. it is the most common malignancy in children, with an estimated 1,200 new cases per year. it can be one of the hardest types of cancer to treat and cure. Cancerous tumors develop inside the brain. They are often slow-growing and difficult to diagnose. The most common type is glioblastoma, which forms when cancer cells grow into the protective covering of the brain.
Brain cancer is the third most common cause of death for Americans, and the leading cause of cancer death among men aged 50-54. it is the name of a disease which affects people’s brains and causes abnormal growth (tumors). It can be deadly and can affect children as well as adults. If it’s diagnosed early enough, treatment is available. But it’s vital that people know that they should seek medical help if they develop any of these symptoms: confusion, difficulty in thinking, trouble talking, problems walking, headaches, blurred vision or loss of memory. Symptoms often start slowly, so it’s important that you tell your doctor if they appear.
Symptoms Of Brain Cancer
- headaches
- fatigue
- memory loss
- epilepsy
- brain trauma
- difficulty speaking
- trouble focusing
These symptoms may be caused by other health problems, so it’s important to see your doctor for a diagnosis. A study found that more than half of Americans think they know someone who has been diagnosed with brain tumor. The good news: early diagnosis is key to beating brain tumor. The bad news: one-third of those polled said they wouldn’t be surprised if they got brain cancer themselves.
In fact, more than 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with a type of brain tumor this year. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, “Brain tumors are among the most common types of malignancies diagnosed by physicians.” Cancer symptoms are difficult to identify. Symptoms may not be obvious and can vary in intensity. Brain tumor can be mistaken for memory loss, difficulty thinking, problems with balance and coordination, unexplained weight loss, and personality changes or other conditions.
Brain cancer is the second most common form of cancer among men and women in the United States. Each year, about 16,000 Americans die from brain tumor. The incidence of the disease has increased by an estimated 4% since 1976.
Types Of Brain Tumor
Brain tumors are classified into five different types:
Astrocytoma
Astrocytoma is a type of brain tumor. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Treatment usually includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. The prognosis for people with astrocytoma depends on the size and location of the tumor and the extent of its spread.
Ependymoma
Ependymomas are a type of tumor which affects nerve cells (neurocytes) found in the brain and spinal cord. They can cause symptoms such as seizures, difficulty swallowing, vision loss, and movement difficulties. They are also called “ependymomas”.
The most common way to remove the tumor is through a craniotomy. This is done through a large incision in the skull. Once the incision is made, a plastic surgeon makes a flap of skin and muscle, which is lifted away from the bone. This exposes the skull. The surgeon removes part of the skull and cuts into the brain with a scalpel. Next, he removes any excess skull bone. Then, he uses an electric saw to cut out the tumor, which is placed in a container. The whole procedure takes several hours. The patient is given general anesthesia and remains asleep during the surgery. Afterward, the doctor will carefully examine the brain and spinal cord to determine if there were any problems.
Oligodendroglioma
Oligodendrogliomas are brain tumors composed mostly of a type of cell called an oligodendrocyte. They usually occur in the frontal lobe of the brain. These slow-growing tumors typically cause no symptoms in people for several years. But they can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and memory loss. They can also cause seizures or problems with vision, hearing, speech, movement, balance, or thinking. Oligodendrogliomas may be difficult to detect using brain scans.
So doctors sometimes look at the cells in a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to diagnose an oligodendroglioma. CSF tests will also help doctors determine whether or not to remove the tumor.
Meningioma
Meningiomas, also called benign tumors of the brain, are common, slow-growing tumors of the nervous system. Meningioma is a form of brain tumor that is often found in women between 40 and 50. It is usually asymptomatic until the tumor begins to grow to the size of a golf ball.
It is usually diagnosed when the patient presents with headache and seizures. Patients are given surgery to remove the tumor, which can be cured with radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of the two.
Pineal Parenchymal Tumor
Pineal parenchymal tumors are the third most common brain tumor after meningiomas and gliomas. They arise from the pineal gland. Pineal gland tumors account for 1-2% of brain tumors. Pineal gland tumors can be either benign or malignant. They may be congenital, present at birth or later in childhood. In some cases they may remain asymptomatic until later in life. Symptoms of a pineal parenchymal tumor include headache, vomiting, lethargy, behavioral changes, gait disturbances, vision abnormalities and seizures. Treatment of pineal parenchymal tumors depends on its size, its location and whether it is benign or malignant.
The four main types of brain tumors in adults are astrocytoma, meningioma, and ependymoma. There are more than 70 types of brain tumors, ranging from benign to cancerous. Brain tumors may be found anywhere in the brain, although they are most often located at the base of the skull.
Treatments
Brain tumors can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Radiation is most often used to treat the brain. A surgeon removed the tumor but left behind some radioactive material in your skull. If you go to bed tonight, the radiation will damage your brain cells. If you stay awake, it may kill the cancer cells in your body. The radiation treatment is a cure. It can be painful. It is a gamble. But it can save your life. You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Sometimes the tumor can be removed surgically.
Chemotherapy is sometimes used to shrink the tumor before surgery. A person with a tumor must have surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Radiation and chemotherapy will usually be given before surgery to shrink the tumor. Chemotherapy may be given for several weeks before surgery. The side effects of chemotherapy are sometimes worse than the cancer itself. There are different types of chemotherapy drugs that are used to treat brain tumors. Each drug is given at a certain dose.
