Brain Tumor Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What is Brain Tumor?

It is the abnormal cells growth or mass in the brain. Various kinds of brain tumor tend to exist. Few are cancerous and few are noncancerous. Moreover, brain tumors that starts in the brain is called primary brain tumors whereas cancer that starts in some other body parts and then spread to the brain is called metastatic or secondary brain tumors.
The treatment options for brain tumor depend on the brain tumor type, plus its location and size.

What are the Symptoms of Brain Tumor?

The symptoms greatly vary depending upon the size, growth rate and location of the brain tumor. However, general symptoms triggered by brain tumor are:
• Headaches that becomes more severe and more frequent gradually.
• Change or new onset headache pattern.
• Unexplained vomiting or nausea.
• Vision problems for example double vision, blurred vision, or peripheral vision loss.
• Gradual movement or sensation loss in a leg or an arm.
• Speech difficulties.
• Balance difficulties.
• Behavior or personality changes.
• Hearing problems.
• Seizures.
• Confusion in daily matters.

When is the high time to consult a doctor?

In case of experiencing persistent symptoms which causes you problem, consult call up your doctor for an appointment.

What are the Causes of Brain Tumor?

Brain tumor begins itself in your brain or in the nearby tissues, for example in the cranial nerves, pineal gland, pituitary gland or meninges.
It starts when the normal cells tend to acquire errors (called mutations) within their DNA. Such mutations, as a result, allow the cells producing and dividing excessively, whilst continue surviving even after the healthy cells die. Consequently, results in a collection of such abnormal cells, later forming tumor.

What are the risk factors?

Certain factors which may increase the risk to develop brain tumor are:
• Increasing age.
• Radiation exposure.
• Family history of BT.

Brain Tumor Diagnosis

In case the doctor suspects the possibility of brain tumor, he may suggest numerous procedures and tests including:
• Neurological exam
• Imaging tests (MRI, CT scan, PET).
• Biopsy.

Brain Tumor Treatment

The treatment solely depends upon the kind, location and size of tumor, your preferences and overall health. Few treatment options are mentioned below:
• Surgery. In case the tumor is developed at a place easily accessible for the operation, the surgeon will try to remove it as much as possible.
• Radiation therapy: the radiation therapy tends to uses the high energy beams for example protons or X-rays in order to kill the tumor cells.
• Radiosurgery: multiple radiation beams are use to provide an extremely focused radiation form to kill the cells of tumor in a tiny area.
• Chemotherapy: drugs are used to kill the tumor cells. Such drugs are orally consumed in form of pills or intravenously (injected in the vein).
• Targeted drug therapy: the targeted drug treatments tend to focus on particular abnormalities that are present in the cancer cells. Through blocking such abnormalities, the targeted drug treatments result killing the cancer cells.

 

By : Natural Health News