A brain tumor is a growth of brain cells or cells close to the brain. The tissue of the brain can develop brain tumors. Near the brain tissue, brain tumours are also possible. The pituitary gland, pineal gland, and membranes that surround the surface of the brain are nearby structures.
Brain tumors can start there. Primary brain tumors are what they are. Cancer can occasionally move from another section of the body to the brain. These tumors are what are known as metastatic or secondary brain tumors.
Primary brain tumors come in many distinct varieties. There are some benign brain tumors. These are referred to as benign or noncancerous brain tumors. Noncancerous brain tumors can enlarge and put pressure on the brain tissue over time. Malignant brain tumors, commonly known as brain cancers, are several types of brain tumors. Brain tumors may advance swiftly. Cancerous cells have the ability to infiltrate and kill brain tissue.
Brain tumors can be very little or quite enormous in size. Because they produce symptoms that you can immediately identify, some brain tumors are discovered while they are very little. Before they are discovered, other brain tumors enlarge considerably. The brain has several regions that are more and less active. If a brain tumor develops in a less active area of the brain, symptoms may not appear right away. Before the tumor is found, its size may increase significantly.
The sort of brain tumor you have, as well as its size and location, all affect your treatment options. Radiation therapy and surgery are frequent forms of treatment.
Types
Brain tumors can take many different forms. The kind of cells that make up the tumor determine the type of brain tumor. On the tumor cells, specialised lab tests can reveal information about the cells. This data is used by your medical team to identify the kind of brain tumor.
Most brain tumors of certain forms are not malignant. These are referred to as benign or noncancerous brain tumors. Most brain tumors of certain forms are malignant. These are referred to as malignant brain tumors or brain cancers. Both benign and malignant brain tumor kinds exist.
Brain tumors that are benign typically grow slowly. Fast-growing brain tumors are frequently those that are malignant.
The following types of brain tumors:
Brain tumors that are related to gliomas. Gliomas are cell growths that resemble glial cells. In the brain tissue, glial cells encircle and support nerve cells. Astrocytoma, glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma, and ependymoma are a few examples of gliomas and related brain tumors. Although benign gliomas can occur, the majority do. The most typical form of malignant brain tumor is glioblastoma.
Tumors in the choroid plexus. The cells that produce the fluid that covers the brain and spinal cord are where choroid plexus tumors originate. Cerebrospinal fluid is the name of this substance. The fluid-filled spaces in the brain called the ventricles are where choroid plexus tumors are found. Tumors of the choroid plexus can be benign or cancerous. The malignant variation of this sort of brain tumor is choroid plexus carcinoma.
Tumors in the embryo. Cells that are left behind from foetal development are where embryonic tumors start. After birth, the embryonal cells continue to exist in the brain. Malignant brain tumors called embryonal tumors most frequently affect infants and young children. Medulloblastoma is the most prevalent kind of embryonal tumor. The cerebellum, a region of the brain in the back, is often where it is located.
Tumors made of germ cells. Germ cells, which develop into sperm and egg cells, are where germ cell tumors originate. Most germ cells are found in the testicles and ovaries. However, occasionally they can also be found in the brain and in other organs. In the brain, germ cell tumors frequently develop close to the pituitary or pineal glands. Most benign tumors made of germ cells. Children are more likely to have them.
Pineal tumors. Pineal tumors begin in and around the pineal gland in the brain. In the middle of the brain is where the pineal gland is situated. It produces melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Pineal tumors can either be benign or cancerous. The most prevalent type of malignant pineal tumor in children is called a pineoblastoma.
Neuronal tumors. Growths within and around nerves are referred to as nerve tumours. The auditory neuroma, also known as schwannoma, is the most prevalent form that develops in the head. The primary nerve that links the inner ear to the brain is where this benign tumor is situated.
Pituitary tumors. Pituitary tumors can start in or around the pituitary gland. This little gland is situated not far from the brain’s base. The majority of tumors that develop in or near the pituitary gland are benign. The pituitary gland itself can develop tumors. The brain tumor known as a craniopharyngioma develops close to the pituitary gland.
More brain tumors. In and around the brain, there are numerous different uncommon tumors that might develop. Around the brain, tumors can begin in the muscles, blood vessels, and connective tissue. The skull’s bones are prone to tumor development. The immune system cells in the brain that fight infection can give rise to malignant brain tumors. Primary central nervous system lymphoma is the name of this particular type of brain cancer.
Symptoms
Depending on the size and location of the brain tumor, specific signs and symptoms may be present. The severity of the symptoms may also be influenced by the tumor grade, another term for the rate of growth of the brain tumor.
Brain tumor-related general signs and symptoms may include:
- Mornings are worse for headaches or pressure in the head.
- Headaches that occur more frequently and feel worse.
- Headaches that are referred to as tension headaches or migraines occasionally.
- Vomiting or nauseous.
- Eye issues such double vision, hazy vision, or losing vision to the sides of your field of view.
- Losing sensation or motion in a leg or arm.
- Having balance issues.
- Speech issues.
- Incredibly exhausted.
- Confusion in routine issues.
- Memory issues.
- Having difficulty obeying simple instructions.
- Changes in personality or behaviour.
- Seizures, particularly if there has never been a history of seizures.
- Hearing issues.
- Vertigo is another name for dizziness or the sensation that the world is spinning.
- Gaining weight and experiencing extreme hunger.
Symptoms of non-cancerous brain tumors typically appear gradually. Benign brain tumors are another name for non-cancerous brain tumors. They could produce minor symptoms that you initially don’t notice. Over the course of months or years, the symptoms could worsen.
The symptoms of cancerous brain tumors rapidly worsen. Malignant brain tumors and brain cancer are other names for cancerous brain tumors. They result in symptoms that appear out of nowhere. Within a few days, they deteriorate.
Causes
Brain-originating brain tumors
Primary brain tumors are those that develop from an expansion of brain cells. They may begin directly in the brain or in surrounding tissue. The meninges, which cover the brain, may be among the nearby tissue. Nerves, the pituitary, and the pineal gland can all develop brain tumors.
Brain tumors develop when the DNA of cells in or around the brain is altered. The instructions that inform a cell what to do are stored in its DNA. When healthy cells would naturally perish as a part of their life cycle, the alterations instruct the cells to proliferate swiftly and keep surviving. This produces a large number of additional brain cells. A tumor can develop from the cells.
The reason for the DNA alterations that result in brain tumors is unknown. The cause of brain tumors is unknown in many cases. Children’s DNA can occasionally change due to parental influences. The modifications could make having a brain tumor more likely. These inherited brain tumors are uncommon. Inform your healthcare professional if there is a family history of brain tumors. If you want to know whether your family history puts you at a higher risk of developing a brain tumor, you might think about scheduling a consultation with a doctor who specialises in genetics.
Children are more prone to develop primary brain tumors when they get a brain tumor. Brain tumors in adulthood are more frequently cancers that originated elsewhere and progressed to the brain.
Risk elements
Most primary brain tumor patients’ causes are unknown. However, medical professionals have found several risk-raising variables.
Risk elements consist of:
Age. Although brain tumors can develop at any age, older persons are more likely to get them. Adults are the main target of some brain tumors. Most brain tumors in children are benign.
Race. A brain tumor can occur in anyone. However, people of particular races are more likely to develop various forms of brain tumors. Gliomas, for instance, are more prevalent among Caucasian persons. Black persons are more likely to have meningiomas.
Radiation exposure. The chance of developing a brain tumor is higher in people who have been exposed to powerful radiation. Ionizing radiation is the name given to this potent radiation. The radiation is potent enough to alter the DNA of cells in the body. Tumors and malignancies may result from the DNA alterations. Ionizing radiation examples include atomic bomb radiation exposure and radiation treatment used to cure cancer.
Brain tumors and low-level radiation from commonplace objects are not related. Radio waves and mobile radiation are examples of low-level radiation. There is no solid proof that using a mobile contributes to brain tumors. However, additional research is being done to be sure.
Syndromes that run in families that raise the incidence of brain tumors. Some DNA alterations that raise the risk of brain tumors are hereditary. Examples include the DNA alterations that result in neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, tuberous sclerosis, familial adenomatous polyposis, Cowden syndrome, Gorlin syndrome, Lynch syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, and others.
Prevention
Brain tumors cannot be avoided. You didn’t do anything to make a brain tumor happen if you do.
People who are at higher risk for brain tumors can think about screening exams. Brain tumor prevention is not through screening. However, screening could assist in detecting a brain tumor when it is still small and more amenable to therapy.
Speak with your healthcare practitioner if you have a family history of brain tumors or genetic disorders that enhance the risk of brain tumors. You might think about scheduling a consultation with a genetic counsellor or other medical professional with genetics training. You can learn how to manage your risk with the assistance of this person. Consider brain tumor screening tests, for instance. Your vision, hearing, balance, coordination, and reflexes may be tested via an imaging test or a neurological examination.
