Brain Cancer and Tumors: Types and General Information

Definition

Brain Cancer (Brain Tumor)

A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondary tumors, which most commonly have spread from tumors located outside the brain, known as brain metastasis tumors. Brain tumors may produce symptoms that vary depending on the size of cancer and the part of the brain involved. Symptoms may include headaches, seizures, problems with vision, vomiting, and mental changes. Other symptoms may include difficulty walking, speaking, or unconsciousness.

Main Document

Today, nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. live with a brain tumor, yet scientists are still searching for answers regarding pinpointing causes or risk factors. A brain tumor is the growth of abnormal cells in the brain's tissues. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that increase. Some are primary brain tumors, which start in the brain. Others are metastatic and start somewhere else in the body and move to the brain. Causes of brain cancer are difficult to prove; avoiding compounds linked to cancer production is advised. Brain cancer can have various symptoms, including seizures, sleepiness, confusion, and behavioral changes.

The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has included Malignant Brain Stem Gliomas (Childhood) and Glioma Grade III and IV as a Compassionate Allowance to expedite a disability claim.

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Brain cancer, 'histology,' or cell type, determines the behavior of the tumor. It also has a great deal of bearing on the prognosis a patient will find themselves facing. There is no single cell type classification universally agreed upon by doctors. One other approach to classification is by the location of the tumor. The tumor's location determines the kinds of symptoms, any neurological deficits a person may experience, and the safety of its respectability. Both means of classifying a tumor are important.

Recent studies do not show proof of an association between brain tumors and cell phone use among adults. With worldwide cellphone use increasing, researchers would expect a clear increase in brain tumor incidence over time, and studies show there is none.

Other unproven causes of brain tumors include power lines, cigarette smoking, most forms of diagnostic ionizing radiation, head trauma, exposure to air pollutants, and alcohol consumption. Despite ruling out these and other environmental and genetic risk factors, researchers still don't know what factors may cause brain tumors.

Complete neuron cell diagram showing dendrites, neurotransmitter, and receptacle. Neurons (also known as neurones and nerve cells) are electrically excitable cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information. In vertebrate animals, neurons are the core components of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Different Brain Tumor Types

Acoustic Neurinoma:

An Acoustic Neurinoma is a tumor affecting the eight-cranial nerve, located between the pons and the cerebellum. This tumor might be associated with Neurofibromatosis. This particular tumor is a primary intracranial tumor of the myelin-forming cells. These cells are called Schwann cells' or 'Schwannoma.' Therefore, the use of the term acoustic Neuroma' is a misnomer.

Astrocytoma:

An Astrocytoma is a tumor that starts in the astrocyte cells, which constitute part of the human brain's supportive tissues, or 'neuroglial.'

Ependymoma:

An Ependymoma is a tumor that begins in the ependymal cells found in and along the ventricles and central canal in the spinal cord.

Glioblastoma Multiforme:

A Glioblastoma Multiforme is a Grade IV Astrocytoma that can spread throughout the brain. These tumors are marked by the presence of dead tumor cells or necrosis.' About twenty-five percent of every primary brain tumor is a Glioblastoma Multiforme tumor.

Meningioma:

A Meningioma is a benign tumor that starts in the meninges, or the membranes covering the spinal cord and brain. About twenty percent of all primary brain tumors are Meningiomas. These tumors usually appear in middle-aged women.

Metastatic Tumor:

A Metastatic Tumor is created by cancer cells that metastasize in the brain, then form somewhere else in the body. This tumor can appear anywhere else in the spinal column or the brain.

Mixed Glioma:

A Mixed Glioma contains neuronal elements, astrocytic elements, and oligodendroglial cells. Neuropathologists are often confused by Mixed Gliomas, who may diagnose them as oligodendrogliomas, astrocytomas, or may even diagnose them as ganglioglioneurocytomas.

Oligodendroglioma:

Oligodendrogliomas are tumors that start from oligodendrocytes, brain tissue. These tumors often contain both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and are considered mixed Gliomas. They are more common than Oligodendrogliomas and typically occur most frequently in younger or middle-aged adults.

Pineal Region Tumor:

A Pineal Region Tumor is a form of tumor that starts in the pineal gland. Several types of tumors can begin in the pineal gland. These tumors include Mixed tumors, pineoblastomas, Teratomas, Pineocytomas, Geminomas, and Astrocytomas. Less than one percent of primary brain tumors are Pineal tumors. Three to eight percent of childhood brain tumors are Pineal brain tumors.

Brain Tumor Facts

Brain tumors can cause many symptoms. Some of the most common are:

• Seizures.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Feeling weak or sleepy?
• Headaches, often in the morning.
• Problems with balance or walking.
• Problems with thinking or memory.
• Changes in your mood or behavior.
• Changes in your ability to talk, hear, or see.

Brain Tumor Statistics

• There are more than 120 types of brain tumors.
• Nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. live with a brain tumor.
• This year, nearly 14,000 people will lose their battle with a brain tumor.
• Fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in females ages 20 to 39.
• Nearly 70,000 new cases of primary brain tumors will be diagnosed this year.
• second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in males ages 20-39 (leukemia is the first).
• More than 4,600 children between the ages of 0-19 will be diagnosed with a brain tumor this year.
• Brain and central nervous system tumors are the most common cancers among children ages 0-19.
• leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children (males and females) under age 20 (leukemia is the first).
• Overall, the chance that a person will develop a malignant brain or spinal cord tumor in their lifetime is less than 1% (about 1 in 140 for a man and 1 in 180 for a woman).

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