Types of Brain Tumors
Benign: The least aggressive type of brain tumor is often called a benign brain tumor. They originate from cells within or surrounding the brain, do not contain cancer cells, grow slowly, and typically have clear borders that do not spread into other tissue.
Malignant: Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells and often do not have clear borders. They are considered to be life threatening because they grow rapidly and invade surrounding brain tissue.
Primary: Tumors that start in cells of the brain are called primary brain tumors. Primary brain tumors may spread to other parts of the brain or to the spine, but rarely to other organs.
Metastatic: Metastatic or secondary brain tumors begin in another part of the body and then spread to the brain. These tumors are more common than primary brain tumors and are named by the location in which they begin.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Brain Tumors
Symptoms
- Recurrent headaches
- Issues with vision
- Seizures
- Changes in personality
- Short-term memory loss
- Poor coordination
- Difficulty speaking or comprehending
Diagnosis
A Neurological Exam: A physician will assess the person’s symptoms by asking about the patient’s personal and family health history. This information combined with the neurological exam provides clues about whether a person might have a brain tumor.
Brain scans: To show abnormalities like a brain tumor, a contrast dye is often used. The dye is injected into a vein in the arm. A brain tumor generally soaks up more dye than normal brain tissue and shows up clearly on the scan.
CT Scans: CT scans are a type of X-ray that creates a three-dimensional picture of the head by scanning the head from multiple different angles. A computer combines these images into a detailed, cross-sectional view that shows abnormalities in the brain, or tumors.
MRI Scans: The Best type of imaging to diagnose most types of brain tumors is MRI. These scans use magnetic fields and radio waves, rather than X-rays, and computers to create detailed pictures of the brain.
PET Scans: A PET scan detects changes in cells as they grow. A small amount of radioactive glucose is injected. Depending on the grade on the tumor, tumor cells absorb a characteristic amount of the radioactive glucose in comparison to normal parts of the brain.
Biopsy : A Biopsy is a surgical procedure to remove a small sample of the tumor for examination under a microscope. Most of the time, the biopsy is done during surgery to remove the brain tumor (called an open biopsy).
Treatment for Brain Cancer at Super Speciality Hospitals in India
Surgery: Surgery is often the first treatment if the tumour can be removed without causing harm to the surrounding brain tissue. Treatment of brain cancer is usually complex. Most treatment plans involve several consulting doctors.The team of doctors includes neurosurgeons (surgical specialists in the brain and nervous system), oncologists, radiation oncologists (doctors who practice radiation therapy), and of course, your primary health-care provider. A patient's team may include a dietitian, a social worker, a physical therapist, and probably other specialists.
Radiotherapy: Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is the use of high-energy rays to kills tumor cells, thereby stopping them from growing and multiplying.Radiation therapy may be used for people who cannot undergo surgery. In other cases, it is used after surgery to kill any tumor calls that may remain. Radiation therapy is a local therapy. This means that it affects only cells in its path. It does not harm cells elsewhere in the body or even elsewhere in the brain.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is not used to treat all brain tumours. It may be used for people with high-grade primary brain tumours, either as an initial treatment alongside radiotherapy, or where the tumour has come back. In this situation, chemotherapy is unlikely to be able to cure a brain tumour, but it can sometimes shrink a tumour down or slow its growth, which can reduce symptoms.
Post Query
Refer a Patient
Request a Call Back
