A brain tumour is an abnormal collection or mass of cells in the brain. The skull surrounding the brain is very hard. Any growth within such a limited space can cause problems. Further, brain tumours are classified as primary or secondary.
Primary brain tumours form in the brain. Most primary brain tumours are benign.
Secondary brain tumours, also called metastatic brain tumours, form when cancer cells spread to the brain from another organ, such as the lung or breast.
Benign brain tumours can cause many serious problems. This is because they grow slowly and usually do not spread to other tissues. They also typically have better-defined boundaries, making them easier to remove surgically and usually do not grow back after removal.
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Types
Following are the types of benign brain tumours.
- Chordoma: These benign tumours grow slowly and usually develop from the skull's base and the lower spine's bottom.
- Craniopharyngioma: These tumours begin from part of the pituitary gland. They are complex tumours to remove because they are near vital structures deep in the brain.
- Gangliocytomas, gangliomas, and undifferentiated gangliomas are rare tumours that develop in the neurons.
- Glomus Jugulare: Common form of glomus tumours. Its location is just below the base of the skull at the top of the jugular vein (neck).
- Meningiomas usually grow slowly and form in the meninges, which are layers of tissue that protect the spinal cord and the brain. Meningiomas can seldom become malignant.
- Pineocytomas grow slowly, and tumours develop in the pineal gland, deep in the brain, which secretes the hormone melatonin.
- Pituitary Adenomas: These tumours form in the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland produces and controls hormones in the body. Pituitary adenomas are usually slow-growing and may release excess pituitary hormones.
- Schwannoma: A common benign brain tumours in adults. They arise from Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system or cranial nerves. Schwann cells support the transmission of nerve impulses. Acoustic neuroma is the most common schwannoma. These tumours arise in the nerve that passes from the inner ear to the brain known as the vestibular nerve.
Symptoms
The symptoms of brain tumours can vary and depend mainly on the brain tumours' size, location and growth rate.
Typically, these are the symptoms of brain tumours
- Severe and frequent headaches or changes in the headache patterns
- Nausea or vomiting
- Visual impairments such as blurred vision, double vision, and loss of peripheral vision
- Gradual loss of sensation or movement in arms or legs
- Difficulty in maintaining balance
- Speech impairment
- Fatigued
- Cognitive tests such as thinking, remembering, decision-making, etc.
- Unable to follow simple commands
- Changes in personality or behaviour
- Seizures, especially in people without a history of seizures
- Hearing problems
Treatment
Benign (benign) brain tumours can usually be successfully removed surgically and are generally irreversible. However, it often depends on whether the neurosurgeon can safely remove the entire tumour.
Healthcare providers often use a combination of treatments to treat tumours, which include:
- Brain Surgery (craniotomy): If possible, a neurosurgeon will remove the tumours. They work very carefully and sometimes perform surgery while awake to minimise damage to functional areas of the brain (no pain is felt).
- Radiation Therapy: In this type of treatment, high doses of x-rays destroy brain tumour cells or shrink tumours.
- Immunotherapy: Also called biological therapy, it is a treatment that uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. Treatment mainly consists of stimulating the immune system to function more effectively.
- Brachytherapy: This is a type of radiation therapy. Radioactive seeds, capsules, or other implants are surgically placed directly into or near the cancerous tumours.
- Radiosurgery: This type of radiation therapy uses highly focused radiation (gamma rays or protons) to destroy tumours. It's not surgery because it doesn't require an incision (cut).
- Chemotherapy: This therapy consists of anti-cancer drugs that kill cancer cells in the brain and throughout the body. You can get chemotherapy by injection into a vein or as a tablet. Your healthcare provider may suggest chemotherapy after surgery to terminate any cancer cells left behind or keep any remaining tumour cells from growing.
- Targeted Therapy: In this treatment, drugs target specific functions in cancer cells without harming healthy cells. If the side effects of chemotherapy, such as fatigue and nausea, are intolerable, your doctor may recommend specific treatments.
- Active Monitoring: If you have a brain tumour that is very small and not causing symptoms, your doctor may recommend that you closely monitor for signs of tumour growth through regular check-ups.
Other treatments that can help with symptoms caused by brain tumours include:
- Shunts: If the tumours increase pressure within the skull, a shunt (thin tube) may need to be surgically placed in the brain to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid.
- Medications such as mannitol and corticosteroids help reduce pressure on the skull and lessen swelling around the tumours.
- Palliative Care: This specialised care provides relief, comfort and support to people with serious illnesses. It also supports caregivers and those struggling with the condition of loved ones.
Finally
After being handled for a benign (non-cancerous) mind tumour, you may want extra precautions by scheduling appointments with the medical doctor for a few months. Additionally, greater assistance could be required to assist, conquer or adapt to any issues with the help of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. Some humans may additionally want to hold taking remedy for seizures for some months or greater after their tumour has been handled or removed.
If handled with radiotherapy, it's critical to comply with a wholesome way of life to decrease your stroke hazard, which means no smoking and consuming a balanced weight loss plan with ordinary exercising.
For working professionals, you may want to return to work as soon as possible; however, it is advisable to begin working part-time and gradually shift to full-time only when the time and conditions are right.
