Brain cancer
Brain tumours are abnormal growths of cells in the brain, which as they grow become a mass in the brain called a tumour.
There are two ways brain cancer occurs which is either "Primary brain cancer" or "Metastatic brain cancer".
Brain cancers happen when a certain type of brain cell (the brain contains different types) transforms from its normal characteristics, grows and multiply in abnormal ways. It then creates a mass called tumour. Primary brain cancer is when the brain tumours originated in the brain.
Metastatic brain tumours are made from cancerous cells coming from a tumour in another part of the body. The cells spread to the brain from another tumour in a process called metastasis. This is the most common type of brain tumour.
What are the symptoms?
Not all brain tumours create symptoms, when many of them are not specific to brain tumours - meaning they could come from many illnesses. However, the most common symptoms for both type of brain cancer explained above might include:
- Headaches (which are worse when waking up in the morning or occur when sleeping or made worse by coughing, sneezing and exercising)
- Blurred/double vision
- Weakness
- Clumsiness
- Difficulty walking
- Seizures (especially in adults)
- Nausea or vomitting
What are the risk factors?
- Family history (5 to 10% of cancers are genetically inherited)
- Age (risk increase with age)
- Chemical exposure
- Exposure to radiation
Treatments
The treatment will depend on the tumour's type, size, location, and the patient's general health.
The most common treatment is surgery, with the goal to remove as much of the cancer as possible without causing damage to the healthy parts of the brain.
Surgery can be combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
More information on:
