Brain Tumors: Symptoms, Treatment, Types, Causes & More

What is Brain Tumor?

A brain tumor is defined as the abnormal growth of cells inside your brain or the skull. It is both cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign). If the brain tumor is cancerous in nature, it continues to grow and causes pressure inside the skull. This can be dangerous and life-threatening. Typically, brain tumors are categorized as primary or secondary on the basis of their origin. While a primary brain tumor originates in the brain, a secondary brain tumor occurs when cancer cells spread from other organs to the brain. Some of the common types of brain tumors are as follows:

1. Acoustic neuroma
2. Astrocytoma
3. Brain metastases
4. Choroid plexus carcinoma
5. Craniopharyngioma
6. Ependymoma
7. Glioblastoma
8. Glioma
9. Medulloblastoma
10. Meningioma
11. Oligodendroglioma
12. Pediatric brain tumors
13. Pineoblastoma
14. Pituitary tumors

Brain Tumor Symptoms

Brain tumor symptoms vary from person to person depending on the tumor’s size, location and growth rate. Some of the common signs and symptoms include:

1. Frequent and severe headaches
2. Troubles in hearing
3. Difficulty in talking
4. Vision troubles such as blurriness or double vision
5. Vomiting and nausea
6. Difficulty swallowing
7. Seizures
8. Changes in behavior or personality
9. Lack of control over bladder
10. Difficulty in concentration, memory loss
11. Weakness or numbness in one part of the body
12. Clumsiness

Who is at Risk?

Not much is known about the reasons for brain tumors. However, doctors have identified a few brain tumor risk factors which are listed below:

1. Age: While anyone can develop brain tumors, they are more common in older people.
2. Family History: If several people in your family have a history of brain tumors, your chances of getting one increase.
3. Exposure to Radiation: People who have been exposed to radiation are more prone to a brain tumor.
4. No Chickenpox History:  As per one study, people who never had chickenpox are more likely to develop brain tumors.

Brain Tumor Causes

Finding the exact cause behind brain tumors is not possible. But there are some conditions that can lead to the abnormal growth of cells in the brain. Some of the possible brain tumor causes include:

1. Radiation therapy, which is used to treat brain cancer, can cause brain tumors 20 to 30 years later.
2. Some inherited conditions such as neurofibromatosis, Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, Turcot syndrome, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome are often linked to brain tumors.

How is a brain tumor diagnosed?

Usually, brain tumor diagnosis begins with a detailed physical exam or a neurological exam. The doctor may evaluate your coordination, memory, muscle strength, and body reactions. After the physical test, the neurologist can suggest two or more tests which are listed below:

1. Imaging Tests: The neurologist will conduct imaging tests like CT scans or MRI to evaluate the tumor through detailed pictures of the head.
2. Angiogram: In this brain tumor test, a special dye is injected into the artery. This allows the doctors to look for the signs of an abnormal blood vessel or tumor.
3. Biopsy: To determine if the tumor is cancerous, a tissue sample is removed from the brain. The sample is sent to a lab for testing.

How is a brain tumor treated?

Brain tumor treatment options depend on factors such as the type of brain tumor, its size, and location. Here are some of the common treatment options available:

1.  Surgery: The brain tumor doctor removes the tumor in case it is located in a place that is easily accessible during surgery. At times, removing every part of the tumor is not possible. Then, the doctor tries to remove as much of the tumor as is safe.
2. Radiation Therapy: When surgeries are not an option, doctors can choose radiation therapy. This treatment uses high-energy beams to kill tumor cells.
3. Chemotherapy: This treatment uses drugs to remove cancer cells. It is mostly used after surgery to destroy the remaining cancer cells.
4. Targeted Drug Therapy: As the name suggests, this treatment focuses on specific abnormalities present in the brain tumor.

To ensure a proper brain tumor cure, you must consult the best neurologist in India. We at cult.fit have a dedicated team of the best neurologists who can help and guide you. We also offer online consultation to offer hassle-free healthcare assistance in no time. 

How can brain tumors be prevented?

Unfortunately, brain tumor prevention is not possible. You can only reduce the risk by avoiding exposure to radiation and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

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