top of page
Search
Susan Nguyen

Brain Tumors


What is a Brain Tumor?

Brain tumors are blocks of abnormal cells in brain tissue growing in the brain. Brain tumors typically begin in the brain, however, they are also capable of beginning anywhere else, such as the skull, protective lining, the skull base ( the underside of the brain ), the sinuses, the brainstem, etc. DNA duplicates, then instructs cells to grow abnormally, dividing rapidly, and eventually, these cells adapt to live longer than the lifespan of a healthy cell. The large accumulated abnormal cells form within the neuro organ, which ultimately affects the rest of the body system. All brain cancers are tumors, however, not all tumors are cancerous. Malignant tumors continue to spread and grow in size, expanding to invade other tissues. Benign tumors however, grow at a slow rate, and collectively stay in a fixed location.


Causes:

  • Usual exposure to radiation

  • Hereditary genetic factors that leads to the overproduction of cells

It is necessary to know that unfortunately, even to date, professionals have yet to conclude a true risk and cause to primary brain tumors. However, it is known that secondary brain tumors are spread from cancer and other parts of the body.


Who gets it?

Brain tumors commonly form in the tissue of children and even adults' brains. While glioblastoma tumors ( tumors in the glial cells that spread quickly and are malignant to the nerve central system) are the most common tumors in adults, Medulloblastoma tumors are tumors that are most common in children and adolescents. Medulloblastoma tumors for the majority of the time spreads from the back of the brain, called the cerebellum - they have the tendency to spread through the cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord.


Pediatric brain tumors:

Reports have estimated that 2500 cases of pediatric brain tumors are diagnosed each year. In fact, pediatric brain tumors are the most widely and the most common type of tumor that children are diagnosed with. In consideration that the brain is the most complex system of a human body, a growing tumor can trap sections of brain cells. Swelling from brain tumors indicates pressure in the central nerve system, which elucidates why patients and adults experience head pain before their diagnosis.


Morning headaches tend to be more painful and harder to endure. Breathing patterns change when one sleeps, and the blood flow to the brain then increases which causes morning head pains. Pediatric patients also experience extreme neck pains since the medulla is located at the bottom of the brain, which is relatively close to the neck.


Symptoms in children:

  • Lack of vision, abnormal eye movements

  • Seizures, fatigue

  • Irritation

  • Changes in behavior, memory loss

  • Numbness, tingling

  • Speech difficulty

  • Gait difficulty

  • Anxiety

Diagnosis:

Brain scans, neurological exams( to examine the patient’s vision, hearing, balance, and coordination), and biopsies are diagnosis tools that professionals are most familiar with. Tests such as CT scan, the MRI ( Magnetic Resonance Image scan, no radiation ), or X-rays are utilized to pinpoint the location of the tumor, identify it, and to access the function of the brain. A biopsy is more difficult to perform, since there are cases where it is not safe enough to utilize this option. However, in cases where it is safe, performing a biopsy on the tumor will demonstrate the aggressiveness of the tumor, which will help when deciding on a treatment type

.

Treatment:

The most plausible type of treatment is surgery. While the tumor is being operated on, neurosurgeons are able to conclude the patient’s prognosis so that the tumor can be removed as quickly as possible. Benign tumors sometimes require surgeries only. Nonetheless, for cancerous and malignant tumors, further treatments to fully resolve the tumors are needed: chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the two most common therapies.

Treatments for pediatric patients can specifically negatively affect the intellectual and neurological function of the patient.


Additional information:

Statistics:

  • Adults: Over 25,050 have unfortunately gotten primary brain tumors and spinal cord tumors. To be specific, over 14,170 men as well as 10,880 women were developed with this type of tumor. Studies have displayed that a person’s chance of developing a primary brain tumor is less than 1 percent,

  • Pediatric: Each year, almost close to 5000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with brain tumors


Coping mechanisms:

It is vital to keep in mind that it is completely normal to be insecure, confused, or scared after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. You are usually recommended to be patient and take cautions for yourself. Patience and love from yourself and other people is needed to cope with the slow-moving treatment process.

In terms of personality changes, you should always stay on top of communication with your doctor. Communicate with them as soon as you experience any changes. Emotional shifts are usually able to be accommodated with prescribed medications.


Seizures: Muscle spasms, staring, or a loss of consciousness may result from it. Some people have just one seizure, while others have several. People who experience frequent seizures might log their events in a notebook. Note the circumstances, what occurs, and how long they last. Wearing a medical alert bracelet with informative sources of AED medications you use may be beneficial for you.


Sources:



11 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page