Brain Cancer - Brain Cancer Symptoms - Signs Of Brain Cancer - Symptoms Of Brain Cancer - What Is Brain Cancer - Brain Tumor Cancer - Brain Tumor

Brain cancer is the rapid and out of control growth of abnormal cells within a person's central nervous system. When these cells begin to divide rapidly, they usually form a physical structure called a tumor. These abnormal cells form tissue, something that normal cells are uncharacteristic of. These tissues invade other normal and healthy tissues, which makes cancer a dangerous condition.

Brain tumors can be both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors are tumors that are far less dangerous, though they may cause a lot of negative symptoms within a patient. Malignant tumors are usually much more aggressive and are extremely deadly, especially if left untreated. Researchers have found that cells begin to divide in the out-of-control manner because of damage that is done to their DNA, the code which tells cells how to function. In almost all normal cells, if DNA is damaged, it will result in the death of the cell, or the cell may even repair itself. Cancer cells, however, do not repair their DNA, nor do they die. As a result, the cells begin to divide, sometimes extremely rapidly, creating cells that the body has no use for and each subsequent cell that is created has that same damaged DNA. Brain cancer is the uncontrolled growth and division of abnormal cells within the brain and other parts of the central nervous system, such as the spinal cord. Brain cancer, unlike most other cancers, is very unlikely to spread to other parts of the body, though it may spread to other parts of the central nervous system. Benign tumors, though usually treatable and come with a positive prognosis, may still cause damage and take up space within the cranial cavity. In a lot of cases, the term "brain tumor" is used when studying abnormal cells in the brain and central nervous system because many tumors are, in fact, non cancerous.

What Causes Brain Cancer? Researchers have a general idea for certain causes of cancer and brain tumors, though many questions are still unanswered. The primary concern researchers have is discovering what causes damages to cellular DNA and what can be done to prevent it. Researchers consider the following the primary risk factors of brain cancer and brain tumors:

Ethnicity: According to statistics, Caucasians are the most likely to be diagnosed with brain tumors.

Age: Although statistics show that the average age of a person diagnosed with a brain tumor is about 45 years old, anyone is capable of developing brain cancer and brain cancer in children is no uncommon.

Dangerous Substances: Many chemicals and substances have been known to cause cancer in people. These include agricultural substances such as fertilizers and substances found in oil fields.

Radiation: This is also a primary concern due to the damaging effects of radiation on cells. If DNA in cells is altered, there is a chance a tumor may develop. One concern that has been widely debated are cell phones, though research on this is still inconclusive.

What are the Different Types of Brain Tumors? There are a number of different types of brain tumors that can develop in a person's brain. Some are usually benign and some are usually malignant, but all of the types can be both. Each type of tumor is caused by different factors, grow in different locations in the central nervous system, cause specific symptoms, have different physical structures, respond uniquely to treatments, have differing survival chances, and have differing chances of relapsing. The following are the most common types of brain cancers that are found in both adults and children:

Glioblastoma Multiforme: This brain tumor is aggressive and most common among brain cancer cases.

Medulloblastoma: Usually malignant in nature and have a rapid growth rate. A unique characteristic is its ability to spread to other parts of the central nervous system.

Astrocytoma: Begin in small brain cells called astrocytes, a type of cell that performs many important functions within the brain.

Meningioma: The second most occurring brain tumor, it is usually benign, but some cases can also be malignant.

Oligodendroglioma: A very slow growing tumor, a patient can survive for many years with the tumor without any knowledge of it.

Schwannoma: A central nervous system tumor that affects the myelin sheath, an insulating material that wraps around nerves.

Craniopharyngioma: Has the qualities of a cyst and usually originates in the pituitary gland.

Ependymoma: Originates generally in the ependyma, a part of the central nervous system

Brain Cancer in Children: It is not uncommon for some children to be diagnosed with the same types of brain tumors that effect adults. However, the same type of tumor in a child may behave differently and sometimes responds differently to certain treatments. Generally speaking, a brain tumor in a child is usually far more responsive to chemotherapy. Children central nervous system tumors generally hold a 60 percent survival rate, with the average rate of survival decreasing the younger a child is. In about 70 percent of child brain tumor cases, the tumors are classified as medulloblastoma, ependymoma and glioma.
There are a number of different types of brain tumors that can develop in a person's brain. Some are usually benign and some are usually malignant, but all of the types can be both. Each type of tumor is caused by different factors, grow in different locations in the central nervous system, cause specific symptoms, have different physical structures, respond uniquely to treatments, have differing survival chances, and have differing chances of relapsing.

Glioblastoma Multiforme: The most common type of brain cancer found in humans, glioblastoma multiforme is known for its aggressive nature. Glioblastoma multiforme makes up about 52 percent of all parenchymal brain tumor cases and 20 percent of intracranial tumors. Glioblastoma multiforme can also occur in dogs, so much of the research done on this type of brain tumor is performed on dogs. Unfortunately, glioblastoma multiforme has a poor prognosis, even after intense treatment regimens. Glioblastoma multiforme has common symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting (without nausea), and hemiparesis (a type of paralysis that affects only one side of the body. If the tumor continues to grow, an individual may experience memory loss, seizures, and changes in personality. Treatments for glioblastoma multiforme include surgery called open craniotomy to remove the entire or most of the tumor. Also, a patient may receive chemotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy, designed to kill cancer cells that were not removable through surgery and control cancer growth.

Medulloblastoma: Medulloblastoma is a highly malignant infratentorial brain tumor which originates in the cerebellum and in the area known as the posterior fossa, the part of the brain that holds the brain stem and cerebellum. Medulloblastomas are classified as primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET), due to their rapid growth rate and their ability to spread to other areas of the central nervous system in cerebrospinal fluid. Medulloblastomas are thought to occur because of a genetic defect in a person's cells. Children are very likely to be diagnosed with Medulloblastoma after repeated episodes of vomiting and morning headaches. Later, medulloblastoma will cause a child to develop balancing problems and will begin to fall over frequently. They will also experience dizziness and facial sensory disturbances. Treatment for medulloblastoma is first begun with resection to remove all or most of the tumor. After surgery is completed, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are given to kill remaining cancer cells and increase the odds of survival for many years after. This treatment gives an 80 percent survival rate five years after treatment ends. Chemotherapy is the primary weapon against medulloblastoma recurrence.

Astrocytoma: Astrocytoma is a form of brain tumor that begins in small brain cells called astrocytes, which are important in many functions. Astrocytoma can originate in many parts of the brain and can even start in the spinal cord (astrocytes are found within the cerebrum). Astrocytoma is commonly found in adults, but can occur in people of all ages. Astrocytomas make up about 75 percent of neuroepithelial tumors. Common symptoms of astrocytoma can include dizziness, headaches, vomiting, mood changes, drowsiness, lathery, personality changes, and blackouts. If a children experiences astrocytoma, the child's head may grow due to the increased pressure the tumor puts inside the intracranial area. Some patients may also experience seizures during cases of slow-growing astrocytoma. Treatment usually involves resection of the astrocytoma tumor, usually allowing the lives of patients to be normal. The survival rate for patients after five years of surgical treatment is way up at 90 percent. Children may experience a mild for of astrocytoma called pilocytic astrocytomas. This is when a cyst forms inside a child's brain and allows a child to live normally, but may eventually progress into a anaplastic version of astrocytoma after a few years without treatment.

Meningioma: Meningioma is considered to be the second most primary common tumor of the central nervous system. Most meningioma tumors are benign, but it is possible to be malignant in some cases. Researchers do not know the exact cause of meningioma but, many suspect that radiation therapy a person may have previously had is the main culprit. Genetic mutations may also be a reason for the development of a meningioma tumor. Meningioma tumors that are smaller than 2 centimeters do not cause any noticeable symptoms. Larger tumors however, cause focal seizures, weakness in legs, erratic motor and sensory functions, and intracranial pressure. If the meningioma tumor is discovered early, no treatment initially may be required; rather it may be put on observation for a period of time to track its progress. Many patients' tumors do not grow larger in the follow-up examination, though some tumors may grow 4 mm a year. If the tumor begins to cause symptoms, surgery will be conducted to remove all or most of the tumor.

Oligodendroglioma: Generally, oligodendroglioma is a slow-growing tumor and is very painless. A patient may survive for many years after symptoms begin. Oligodendroglioma has a very positive prognosis because of their less aggressive nature. Oligodendroglioma tumors usually originate in the cerbral area of the brain and may spread to other areas including the temporal and occipital lobes. The first symptom a person may experience if they have an oligodendroglioma tumor is a seizure. In addition, frequent headaches may begin, and will increase in intensity in the morning hours after waking up. Furthermore, if left untreated, oligodendroglioma may lead to vision impairment, muscle weakness, difficulty thinking and memory loss. If oligodendroglioma in a person is in its very early stages, a physician may choose to take a "wait and see" approach. If a person is experiencing certain symptoms, treatments may be given based on those symptoms. Some instances may call for chemotherapy treatment to help weaken and shrink the tumor. Since oligodendroglioma has high infiltration into the brain, surgery is very difficult. If a patient does undergo surgery, only some of the tumor may be removed.

Schwannoma: Schwannoma is a type of benign tumor that affects the myelin sheath, a material that serves as the insulating material that protects peripheral nerves. The tumors originate in what are called Shwann cells which generate the myelin sheath. Schwannoma is usually non-cancerous, though malignant schwannomas may occur. Schwannomas are thought to arise from a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis. Since schwannoma affects the acoustic nerve, symptoms of Schwannoma include ringing in the ears and eventual hearing loss if the disease is left untreated for too long. To treat schwannoma, doctors usually elect to perform surgery to remove part of the tumor, along with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or both. Generally, if the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters, the chances of a successful treatment plan is lowered a great deal.

Craniopharyngioma: This is a type of brain tumor with qualities of a cyst that originates in the pituitary gland tissue and usually occurs in children. Adults, during the ages of their 50s and 60s are also susceptible to craniopharyngioma as well. Craniopharyngioma is distinguished by most physicians by its calcium deposits it forms that show up on imaging equipment. The first signs of craniopharyngioma is headaches, nausea, vomiting, failure for a child to grow normally, and eventually, it can lead to what is known as heteronymous hemianopsia, or partial loss of vision. Some men have also experienced impotence as a result of the tumor. The treatment options of craniopharyngioma, though limited, may be affective. Subfrontal or transsphenoidal excision may be necessary as far as surgery options go. This means that surgery is performed through the sphenoid bone and sphenoid sinus through the nose (the sphenoid is located just beneath the pituitary gland). Further treatment therapy is given through radiotherapy, a form of high-energy rays to destroy what is left of the tumor.

Ependymoma: Ependymoma is a type of brain tumor that originates in the ependyma, a certain tissue that is found in the central nervous system. Adults are usually diagnosed with ependymoma on the spinal area while children usually get it in the intracranial portion of their central nervous system. Ependymoma has cells that are regular, round and oval nuclei and are usually originated in the fourth ventricle. Ependymomas are considered to be a slow-growing tumor. The symptoms for ependymoma are quite severe and unique to many other brain tumors. Initial symptoms for ependymoma include nausea, vomiting, headaches, lack of appetite, difficulty sleeping, temporary color blindness, muscle twitching, involuntary muscle spasms, visual obstructions in eyesight, and memory loss. These symptoms may vary however, depending on the location of the tumor. If left untreated, the tumor may cause seizures in most patients, changes in personality and cognitive impairment. Most ependymoma tumors are benign and require a relatively relaxed treatment plan, which includes radiation therapy to shrink the tumor and keep it a certain size to prevent further symptoms. There is a chance that a ependymoma tumor may not respond to radiation therapy, in which case surgery may be required to remove most or all of the tumor. For anaplastic ependymoma tumors, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both may be required.

Symptoms of Brain Cancer: The brain is a very complicated organ, having many duties and responsibilities for the function of every day life. Everything that a person feels and experiences goes through the brain and different areas of the brain control different functions. This is why the amount of symptoms of brain cancers and tumors is quite vast when compared to other cancers. Also, it should be noted that some general symptoms are characteristic of other sicknesses, both mild and severe. Other less common symptoms are specific to brain tumors. Depending on the size and location of a tumor a combination of the following symptoms may arise:

Nausea/Vomiting: Some people may experience just nausea, just vomiting, or both.

Headache: A symptom that can occur at any time, but most cancer patients have reported worsened headaches in the morning hours after waking up. Headaches caused by brain tumors can range from mild to severe.

Seizures: This is usually the first tell-tale sign of a brain tumor within a person. If a person who has never experienced a seizure before and has one, the patient is usually tested for brain abnormalities such as tumors.

Mental and Behavior Changes: A tumor growing on the brain may cause a person to have personality shifts that can range from mild to severe. They may also perform behavior that is otherwise uncharacteristic.

Mass Effect: This is a symptom that is caused by the extra intracranial pressure inside a persons head caused by a tumor and its size taking up room within the skull. This can usually result in brain tissue to be displaced and often damaged.

Physical Appearance: A person may experience changes in their physical appearance. A brain tumor, for instance may effect the part of the brain that performs facial expressions, leading to a person's face becoming droopy in appearance.

Sensation Changes: A person may experience numbness, deafness and muscle weakness due to a brain tumor.

Balance Problems: Brain tumors are capable of effecting a person's ability to balance themselves and may have trouble walking and staying upright.

Symptoms: No matter what type of brain tumor someone has or what factors caused the brain tumor, there are always common signs that are characteristic of all types of brain tumors. The reason why functions of the brain are impaired in the presence of a brain tumor is because the tumor may pinch nerves and brain matter due to the space that it occupies in the cranial cavity. The functions of those areas are then hindered and no longer work properly without treatment. Symptoms of brain tumors generally depend on which stage of growth the tumor is in and how large the actual tumor is. There are also both fast-growing and slow-growing tumors. A slow-growing tumor will show symptoms much later than fast-growing tumors. Symptoms also depend on the location of the tumor on the brain. Since the brain is a very complex structure with many different functions controlled by different areas, if the tumor is in a certain location, for example, where a person's vision is processed, he or she will experience vision impairment. While a person experiencing one or a few of these symptoms may have a completely unrelated ailment, the following are characteristic of brain tumors:

Treatments for Brain Cancer: Over the past few decades the options have widened, and the treatments have become more advanced. Although a surgical procedure remains as the common option; patients now have a wide range of treatment opportunities to combat the cancer. In most cases though, the patient does not dictate the form of treatment; the location, size, grade, and type of tumor does.

Surgery: A treatment option for brain cancer which is very common, surgery is usually done to remove all or most of the tumor. Some of the tumor may be left because it is tough to determine which areas are abnormal cells and which areas are normal, health brain cells. Surgery generally alleviates symptoms caused by brain tumors as well, such as intracranial pressure.

Radiation Therapy: Attempts to kill cancerous cells by focusing beams of radiation on the spot of the tumor.

Chemotherapy: A type of treatment usually given orally or through an IV. Chemotherapy includes a list of many chemicals that can be used in conjunction with each other to kill cancer cells within the brain.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery: A fairly new treatment, this is a radiation therapy that is actually "knifeless". It focuses radiation therapy to affected parts of the brain to shrink and help eliminate the tumor cells.

A clinical trial is a study that is done in order for researchers to test the use of new drugs or treatment process. Through the opportunity of clinical trials, patients volunteer for special treatments that have yet to have been fully tested or proven 100 percent safe. The primary purpose of the clinical trial is to contribute to the advancement of brain cancer research so that new drugs can be developed, hopefully proving to be more effective than previously used drugs. Patients have the choice to undergo a clinical trial if they have brain cancer and they qualify for the research program. It is often a hard choice to make and patients usually weigh their options and read their situation before making that very tough decision.

Deciding to take part in a clinical trial is no easy decision. A patient with brain cancer would be contributing a great deal if they do take part in the test, though they may be at risk if the experimental drugs prove to be dangerous or ineffective. One of three things can happen-- either a drug will be proven to be not useful, a drug may show signs of success against the brain tumor, or in very rare cases, a patient may be harmed by the new drug. While tragedies involving fatal clinical trials are tough to think about, they are important because they give researchers new information for the overall contribution to advanced brain tumor treatments. In all likely situations, fatal accidents would be avoided in the future, using prior data collected. To protect volunteers of clinical trials, there have been laws and regulations set into place designed to protect patients and their rights during clinical trials.
A clinical trial attempts to answer two main questions-- does a drug work against fighting brain tumors and is the treatment safe to use?

If a new drug proves to be effective against brain tumors, further follow up questions are asked. Is the treatment more effective than current treatments? If not, is it just as useful as current treatments? If so, does it produce fewer side effects? Does it work in certain people who have not shown positive results in other treatments? If yes is answered to any of these questions, a clinical trial is considered to be successful, moving forward research either a step or a leap, depending on the breakthrough in knowledge.As far as drug safety is concerned, this is the most important question asked by researchers. Not all brain tumor treatments are 100 percent safe without any risk factors, though researchers attempt to determine if the positive results of a drug outweigh the risks. Remember, the clinical trial is just one step in the development of a new drug. When a possible new drug is discovered, it it is put through many tests in the lab to determine how it reacts to animal cells. More than a thousand drugs are tested in a lab before they are green lit for use in a clinical trial.

There are several misconceptions that one must know before entering into a clinical trial. Every person who is diagnosed with brain cancer or any other type of cancer has a right to choose whether or not he or she would like to participate in the clinical trial. They are all voluntary. Keep in mind that not all of them just study experimental drugs and treatments. Some focus on detection tools and techniques, experimental diagnoses and prevention processes. Also, some clinical trials focus on drugs that have already been proven to work well. The only difference is that the drugs may be used in combination with other drugs to see how well the two work together to fight the cancer. In some instances, a placebo may be given. This rarely ever happens, however. They are used to make a patient think that he or she is being treated, but in actuality, he or she was not given a cancer drug. Some researchers have found that when a patient is given a placebo, he or she may claim to feel better. No patients in a clinical trial will only receive a placebo. When this does happen, some patients will receive a combination of treatments and another group will receive one treatment, along with the placebo. They will then compare the results to see if there really is a difference.

First and foremost, a drug that is thought to be effective against cancer will first be tested in a laboratory on living cells, but not on an actual animal. Cancer cells can be grown in the lab and the drug will be administered and the results are observed. This can involve human cells or animal cells. Next, if the initial test proves that the drug seems to have noticeable effect on the cancer cells, subsequent animal testing phase can commence. Treatments that show positive results are then tested on living animals to see what happens to an animal who receives the drug(s) as a treatment. This phase of the clinical trial, while tells a lot, it does not tell the whole story, after all, lab mice and humans are two very different creatures. If the results of the animal trials seem promising, the FDA will give final approval to advance the drug to the actual clinical trial period.

Phases of a Clinical Trial: Clinical trials are administered in phases, each designed to give researchers new bits of useful information. Brain cancer patients, and other cancer patients will experience the phases outlined below:

Phase 0: During this phase, researchers may only administer a small amount of the new drug or combination of drugs to find out whether or not the drug reaches the tumor to affect it, if at all. Due to the fact that the drug doses are low, the patient is in a low-risk situation, though they will not receive any benefit from taking the drug. During this phase, researchers determine whether or not drugs do as they are expected and if it has any adverse effects to the body.

Phase I: This phase is the first time a new treatment or a new combination of treatments is given to a person in an attempt to destroy a tumor. This phase is generally given to a small group of people who are in an advanced or untreatable stage of cancer with no other viable options to choose from. The goal of researchers is to determine what the highest dosage of treatment is safe to administer to a patient. This is done by given one group of patients a low dose, watching them closely for side effects and if it is deemed safe, the next group of patients get a higher dose. The safety of the patients are put in high regard during this phase, especially since it is the most unpredictable.

Phase II: This stage is designed to test the drug's effectiveness and find a better understanding if it is a viable option for fighting the tumor. This stage is considered to be relatively safe because the drug has already been tested numerous times before in phase I studies. Researchers usually observe the patient and tumor to see if it shrinks and improves the overall health of the patient. They will also keep a close eye on the side effects to make sure that they are consistent with other proven drugs and not too severe.

Phase III: Phase III of clinical trials is an advanced stage where drugs are used on patients that have been already proven to work in shrinking tumors and improving patients' health outlooks. This phase however, is designed as a precautionary stage. They tell researchers how effective and safe the new treatments are compared to already established treatments. Patients are usually chosen at random to receive either a traditional cancer treatment or the new cancer treatment and then compared to each other. Placebos are most often done in the phase III trial.

Phase IV: This advanced clinical trial phase is designed to answer more questions about new treatments. It is designed to determine what kind of long term side effects are possible during the treatment, and is designed to give researchers other information that can only be obtained in the long-term. Aside from early phases of clinical trials (especially phase 0) there are many benefits that can come from participating in a clinical trial. You will be contributing to the overall progress of cancer research, giving researchers more information than they had before. Also, you will increase the number of treatment options available to you, giving you a better chance of beating cancer and giving you more peace of mind.

Brain Cancer Statistics: The survival rate of brain cancer generally depends on a number of different factors, such as the type of brain tumor a person has, whether its benign or malignant, the stage it is in, and its size and location. There is also a major correlation between age and survival rate. The younger a person is, the better their outlook is in surviving a brain tumor. As far as incident rates, it is generally even for all ages. Although the age group of 65 to 74 are at the greatest risk at 17.1 percent, people under 20 are not far behind at 13.8 percent.

Brain Cancer Prognosis: A prognosis is an outlook for a patient with cancer that describes a treatment plan, how well it is expected to work, and what the likely outcome will be after treatment is over. Many patients with brain cancer choose not to receive a prognosis if he or she believes that they do not have a good chance of surviving the cancer.

Brain Cancer Awareness: Many types of brain cancers can be active within people for many years without noticing the first symptom. Also, brain cancer is a disease that effects not only the lives of the patients, but also the patient's loved ones. Brain cancer awareness is designed to raise knowledge about brain cancer through ceremonies, events, foundations, educational information resources, and even simple ribbons that people wear.

Brain Cancer Research: Brain cancer research places a large emphasis on new treatments that could prove to be useful against the disease. It aims to ultimately reach a cure for cancer while improving currently existing techniques and creating new ones along the way. Research is usually tested in clinical trials, where patients choose to undergo unproven treatment procedures in an effort to gather important data about the treatment.

Brain Cancer Home Care: This is a system that helps patients cope with having such a life-changing disease. Generally, if a patient has a poor prognosis, the only choice he or she has left is to live in as much comfort as possible in their final days. Home care is designed to carry this out, usually allowing patients to spend time in their home, the most comfortable place they know. Usually, workers will come to help the patient remain at ease in his or her final days. This is called hospice. Also, advance directives will be assigned. Advance directives are procedures for medical treatment for a patient in which he or she chooses. Brain tumor occurs when cells within the brain divide and multiply uncontrollably causing a mass called tumor to form. A brain tumor can either be benign (non-cancerous) or it can be malignant (cancerous). Brain tumors can be formed within the actual brain structure, in the brain cavities, and in other parts of the central nervous system, such as the spinal column. Brain tumors may also develop from cancer in other organs within a person, which have spread through other parts of the body, usually through the bloodstream.

Statistics of Brain Cancer: In the United States, about 43,000 cases of brain tumors were reported, according to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States. Brain tumors make up about 1.4 percent of all cancers that are reported in the U.S. and are responsible for 2.4 percent of all deaths related to cancer. There are about 13,000 deaths related to brain cancer every year in the United States.