Brain Tumour

A tumour is an abnormal growth, whether nonconcerous (benign) or concerous (malignant). In many parts of the body, a nonconcerous tumour causes few or no problems. However, any abnormal growth or mass in the brain or spinal cord can cause considerable damage.

A brain tumour is a non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (maligant) growth in the brain whether it originate in the brain or has spread (metastasised) to the brain from another part of the body.

Brain tumours are equally common among men and women. They may be primary or secondary. Primary tumours originate in the cells within or next to the brain and may be cancerous or not. Secondary brain tumours are metastases originating in another part of the body and thus are always concerous.

Metastases may grow in a single part of the brain or in several different parts. Many types of cancer-including breast and lung cancer, leukemia and lymphoma - can spread to the brain. The most common type of primary cancerous brain tumour is a glioma.

Symptoms

Symptoms occur irrespective of cancerous or noncancerous tumours. Brain tumours may cause many different symptoms and symptoms may occur suddenly or develop gradually. In some parts of the brain, even a small tumour can have devastating effects. In other parts of the brain, tumours can grow relatively large before any symptoms appear.

Symptoms develop when brain tissue is destroyed or the pressure within the skull (intra-cravial pressure) increases, compressing the brain.

Pressure may increase because the tumour is enlarging. When the brain tumour is a metastasis from cancer in another part of the body, a person may also have symptoms related to that cancer. For example, a person with a metastasis from lung cancer may have a cough that brings up bloody mucous in addition to symptoms of a brain tumour.

A headache, which is often the first symptom of a brain tumour, usually recurs more and more often as time passes. It eventually becomes constant without relief. It is often worse when the patient is asleep and may awaken the person.

Other common early symptoms of a brain tumour include poor balance and coordination, dizziness and double vision. Later symptoms may include anusia and vomiting, intermittent fever, and abnormally fast or slow pulse and breathing rates. S

ome brain tumours cause seizure. Seizures are more common with benign tumours, meningeomas and slow growing cancers such as glio-blastoma multiforme. Tunours can affect hearing, sight and the sense of smell. Pressure on the brain case cause personality changes and can make a person feel drowsy, confused, and unable to think. Such symptoms are extremely serious and require immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis

Ordinary X-rays of the skull and brain provide little help in diagnosing brain tumours. All types of brain tumours usually show up on a computed tomogruphy (CT) or magnetic resonance emaging (MRI) scan, which can measure the tumour'' size and exact position. Pituitary tumours are generally discovered when they press on nerves that affect vision. Blood tests show abnormal pituitary hormones, and the tumour can usually be diagnosed with a CT or MRI scan. CT scanning is less helpful with tumours in the posterior fossa, but MRI is of particular value there.

Some other tumours also cause abnormal levels of hormones in the blood, but most don't. A biopsy of the tumour must be performed (a sample is removed and examined under a microscope to determine the type of tumour and whether it is malignant.

Treatment

The treatment of a brain tumour depends on its location and type. When possible the tumour is removed surgically. However, some grow in an area that makes removal difficult or impossible without destroying essential structures. Surgery sometimes causes brain damage that can lead to partial paralysis changes in sensation, weakness and impaired intellect. Nevertheless, removing a tumour is essential if its growth threatens important brain structures. Some benign tumours must be surgically removed because their continued growth in a confined space can cause severe damage or death.

Meningiomas are usually removed if at all possible and the removal can generally done safely and completely. Most other benign tumours such as schwannomas and ependymomas, are treated similarly.

Sometimes, radiation therapy is given after surgery to most brain tumours, especially those that are malignant, are treated by some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

After as much of the tumour is removed as possible, radiation therapy is began. Radiation rarely cures brain cancer but may shrink a tumour enough to keep it under control for many months or even years. Chemotherapy is used to treat some tumours of brain cancer. Both metastatic and primary brain tumours may respond to chemotherapy.

Prognosis

Despite treatment, only about 25 per cent of the people with brain cancer are alive after 2 years. The outlook is slightly better with some types of tumours, such as astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas, in which the cancer usually does not recur for 3 to 5 years after treatment. About 50 per cent of all the people treated for medulloblastomas survive more them 5 years.

The treatment of brain cancer is more likely to be effective in people under age 45, in people with anaplastic as trocytoma rather than glioglastoma multiforme.

Brain Cancer

The brain controls our thoughts, intelligence, memory and emotions. It weighs about one and a half kilograms and is made up of nerve cells (neurones). Along with the spinal cord, the brain makes up the central nervous system. This system helps all the different parts of the body to communicate with each other.

Types of Brain Tumours

There are different types of benign and malignant brain tumours.

Benign brain tumour - presses on and damages the surrounding brain tissue. Usually, this type of tumour can be successfully removed.

Malignant brain tumour - some are contained inside a capsule and are easy to remove, while others have thin filaments spreading through the brain. Many malignant brain tumours are secondary cancers, which means they developed from a cancer somewhere else in the body.

Around 350 Victorians are diagnosed with malignant brain cancer each year.

Spinal cord cancer

Spinal cord cancer is rarer than brain cancer. Pain in the back is a common symptom. Loss of feeling or movement in the legs and arms and muscle weakness may follow.

Symptoms vary

Symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected by the tumour. Generally, a growing tumour presses on the brain. Swelling brain tissue adds to the pressure. Some of the symptoms of brain cancer include:

Severe, persistent headaches

Nausea and vomiting

Difficulty speaking or thinking of words

Disturbed vision, hearing, smell or taste

Weakness in parts of the body

Loss of balance

Irritability, drowsiness or personality changes

Convulsions, such as loss of consciousness or muscle spasms.

Diagnosing Brain Cancer

If a brain tumour is suspected, you will be referred to a neurologist or neurosurgeon. Some of the tests may include:

Simple functioning tests - such as checking your reflexes and your ability to tell hot from cold on your skin.

Eye test - the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, tends to bulge a little if a tumour is present.

CT scan- three dimensional x-rays.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)- similar to a CT scan, but magnetism instead of x-rays is used to create a picture.

Angiogram- injected dye is x-rayed as it flows through the blood vessels of your brain.

Treatment Options

Treatment aims to remove the tumour or at least slow its growth and relieve the symptoms. Some of the treatment options include:

Surgery - some tumours can be completely removed. In other cases, a tumour may have spread throughout the brain and only pieces of it can be removed.

Radiotherapy- using x-rays to kill cancer cells. In children, low doses are used because the x-rays can slow a child's development and growth.

Chemotherapy - using anti-cancer drugs to stop the cancer cells from multiplying. Chemotherapy is rarely used for adults, but often used for children because of the possible side effects of radiotherapy.

Steroid therapy- drugs to reduce the swelling around the tumour.

Things to remember

The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system.

Many malignant brain tumours are secondary cancers.

Brain cancer affects adults of all ages and is one of the few cancers that occur in children.n