Symptoms and Causes of Brain Cancer

A brain tumor is the growth of cells in the brain tissues or near to the brain such as nerves, the gland, the pineal body and the membranes ground the brain.

There are two types of brain tumors; secondary. Primary brain tumors originate within the brain while secondary brain tumors result from cancer that has spread from parts of the body.

Primary brain tumors encompass types some of which are noncancerous or benign. Although noncancerous tumors do not spread and are less harmful than their counterparts they may still grow over time. Exert pressure on surrounding brain tissue. Malignant brain tumors on the hand are classified as cancerous. Have a tendency to grow rapidly. They possess properties that allow them to infiltrate and destroy brain tissue.

Types

There are categories of brain tumors, which are determined by the types of cells that compose them. Special laboratory tests conducted on the tumor cells provide insights about their characteristics. Healthcare professionals depend on this information to locate the type of brain tumor.

Certain types of brain tumors are typically noncancerous. Referred to as brain tumors. Some types of brain tumors are known as brain tumors or brain cancers. Certain types of brain tumors can exhibit both malignant properties.

Types Of Brain Tumors Are:

Gliomas

Glial cells give support  to nerve cells  which are found all over the brain tissue and are referred to as gliomas. Ependymoma , astrcytoma, glioblastoma, and  oligodendroglioma,  are the different forms in which glioblastoma is the most typical type of malignant brain tumor.

Choroid plexus tumors

Choroid plexus tumors form in the cells of cerebro spinal fluid that are present around the brain and spinal cord. These tumors are present in fluid filled cavities in the brain called ventricles. They are benign or malignant and the malignant form of this type of brain tumor is choroid plexus carcinoma. It is common in children.

Embryonal tumors

Embryonal tumors are found in embryonal cells which are the left over cells of fetal development. These are malignant tumors and found in young children. Medulloblastoma is the common type located in cerebellum

Germ cell tumors

It starts in reproductive cells such as sperm and egg cells. They are generally found near pineal gland or pituitary gland. Germ cell tumors are benign and found in children.

Pineal tumors

Pineal tumors are found in the pineal gland which is located in the centre of the brain. They are benign or malignant. Pineal gland helps insertion of melatonin, which induces sleep. Pineoblastoma is the malignant type commonly found in children

Meningiomas

Meningiomas found in the membranes of the brain and the spinal cord. They are benign and malignant sometimes. It is the common benign brain tumor.

Nerve tumors

Nerve tumors found around the nerves. Acoustic neuroma called schwannoma is the most common in the head. Benign tumor of nerve tumors is present on the main nerve which connects the inner ear to the brain.

Pituitary tumors

Pituitary gland is the tiny  gland present near the brain. Usually pituitary tumors are benign. Craniopharyngioma is the common brain tumor near the pituitary gland.

Other brain tumors

Muscles, connective tissue, blood vessels, and skull bones are the other locations that have brain tumors. Malignant brain tumors start from the  cells of the immune system in the brain. These tumors are called primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Symptoms 

Symptoms of brain tumor rely on the size of the brain tumor and the pace by which tumor is growing called tumor grade.

• Severe often headaches
• Worse head pressure in the morning.
• Vomiting
• Vision problems
• Problems in speech
• Tired ness
• Feeling confusion
• Changes in behaviour
• Seizures
• Hearing problems
• Sense of spinning, vertigo
• Fell more appetite

Initially the symptoms will develop slowly but it may cause sudden increase of symptoms which may become worse in malignant brain tumors.

Causes 

Cells in the brain undergo mutation by which those cells will divide rapidly to form abnormal cells resulting in brain cancer. Abnormal cells will lead to form a tumor and can damage the healthy tissue. Even it can metastasize or spread to other parts of the body

Brain tumors arise in growth of cells called primary brain tumors that can happen in nerves, pituitary gland and the pineal gland.

In general family history increases the risk of developing a brain tumor. In some people the cause of brain tumor is unknown and the concept of  DNA changes to lead to brain cancer is also unknown.

Brain tumors in children are of primary brain tumors whereas in adults, cancer spread from elsewhere part of the body

Cancer Spread To The Brain

Brain tumor starts at some place and spreads to the brain called secondary brain tumor. As cancer spreads it is called metastatic cancer.

Cancer spreads to the brain from;

• Colon
• Kidney
• Lung
• Melanoma
• Breast

Secondary brain tumors are more common in adults than primary brain tumors. People with a family history of cancer are able to get secondary brain tumors. Brain tumor will be the first sign of cancer which already began at some part of the body.

Risk factors

Causes of primary brain tumors are not known in most people but the doctors provided some risk factors for our awareness.

Age

Incidence of brain tumors cannot depend on age. Brain tumor effects mostly in adults and some brain tumors occur in most often in children

Race

Irrespective of any race, people will get cancer. But brain tumors are common in certain races such as gliomas are common in white people and meningiomas are common in black people

Radiation exposure

Exposure to strong radiation such as ionizing radiation changes DNA in the cells of the body results in cancer.

Low level radiation from our daily life objects are not linked to brain tumors. No convincing evidence for getting a brain tumor by exposing cellphone radiation.

Inherited syndromes

Inherited syndromes in which changes in DNA can happen are Lynch syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, Gorlin syndrome and Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.

Prevention

As of now there are no preventive steps for brain tumors and even we don’t know the exact causes of brain tumors.

People belonging to the category of increased risk have to take the screening tests to identify the tumor so that treatment will be more successful in early or small stages.

Previous family history of brain tumor or inherited syndromes has the risk of developing  brain tumor. These people have to attend counseling meetings with genetic counselors or health care providers with expertise in genetics. Following the testing procedures like imaging test, neurological exams to examine vision, hearing, balance, coordination and reflexes can identify the brain tumors.