Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are the growth of abnormal or uncontrolled cells in the brain. Brain tumors can either be primary, meaning they develop in the brain and do not spread to other parts of the body, or they can be metastatic, meaning they develop as cancerous cells in other parts of the body and spread to the brain.

Primary benign brain tumors are slow growing with defined boundaries and rarely spread within the brain. These tumors can be life-threatening if they grow in a vital area of the brain. Malignant tumors, often referred to as brain cancer, grow quickly, and can invade other parts of the brain or spine, but rarely move outside of the brain/spine area to other parts of the body. These tumors can be considered life threatening.

The types of common primary brain tumors include:

Astrocytoma;
Ependymoma;
Medulloblastoma;
Meningioma;
Pituitary tumors; and
Vestibular schwannomas.

Unlike primary brain tumors, metastatic brain tumors develop from cancers that begin in other parts of the body and spread into the brain. Metastatic brain tumors can arise from:

Skin cancer;
Lung cancer;
Genitourinary cancer;
Bone cancer;
Breast cancer;
Head and neck cancer;
Gastrointestinal cancer; and
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Brain tumors may spread to other areas of the brain but rarely spread to other parts of the body.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Symptoms of brain tumors depend on the size, tumor growth, and tumor location, and occur with benign or malignant tumors. Symptoms for brain tumors may include:

Headaches, sometimes associated with nausea or vomiting;
Stroke;
First-time seizures;
Loss of sensation in arm or leg;
Balance and coordination problems;
Vision loss or double vision;
Loss of appetite or eating disorder in children;
Hearing loss; and
Speech difficulties.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

Physicians are not sure what causes brain tumors. Physicians believe that the following factors may increase a person's risk for developing brain tumors:

Male gender;
Age over 70;
Exposure to radiation;
Exposure to certain chemicals; and
Family history.

Certain cancers may increase the risk of patients developing metastatic brain tumors.

DIAGNOSIS

Patients may undergo the following tests to help the physician diagnose a brain tumor:

Neurological exams;
Computed tomography (CT) scan;
Dynamic CT scan;
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
Dynamic MRI;
Functional MRI (fMRI);
Flow sensitive MRI (FS MRI);
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA);
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS);
Positron emission tomography (PET) scan;
Cerebrospinal fluid examination;
Myelogram;
Evoked potentials;
Endocrine evaluation;
Perimetry; and
Stereotactic biopsy.

TREATMENT APPROACH

Treatment for brain tumors depends on the type of tumor, the size, the location, and how much it has spread. Treatment options may include:

Surgery. Surgery is often the first treatment for brain tumors. The most common type of surgery is craniotomy, in which the surgeon removes the tumor through a hole in the skull.
Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to prevent cells from growing and dividing. Types of radiation therapy that a physician may recommend include fractionated radiation therapy, hyperfractionated radiation therapy, brachytherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery.
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is often used to treat tumors that are difficult to remove or are highly aggressive. The medications, administered as pills or intravenously, destroy cancer cells or damage them in a way that will prevent them from multiplying.

A newer method of delivering chemotherapy is through a treated wafer that is implanted at the tumor site during surgery. As the wafer dissolves, medication is released in the tumor location and surrounding area.

Main menu