Brain Tumor: General Infomation

When doctors describe brain tumors, they often use the words "benign" or "malignant". Those descriptions refer to the degree of aggressiveness of a brain tumor. It is not always easy to fit a brain tumor into one of these categories. And many factors other than the pathological (laboratory) analysis contribute to this diagnosis.

Benign brain tumors: A benign brain tumor consists of very slow growing cells, has distinct borders between it and the normal tissue around it, and rarely spreads a distance from where it began. When viewed microscopically, the cells have an almost normal appearance. Surgery alone might be an effective treatment for this type of tumor. A brain tumor composed of benign cells, but located in a vital area, can be considered to be life threatening or incurable- even though the tumor and its cells wouldn't be classified as malignant. That is, if a "benign" tumor is densely adherent to a vital structure, it cannot be totally removed without damaging that structure. It may be considered "malignant" simply because of where it is.

Malignant brain tumors: A malignant brain tumor is life-threatening, invasive into surrounding tissue, often grows rapidly, and can spread to other areas of the brain and spinal cord, a distance from where they began. These brain tumors are often called brain cancer. Since primary brain tumors rarely spread outside the brain and spinal cord, they do not exactly fit the general definition of cancer. Cancer is a disease defined by the following characteristics: unregulated growth of abnormal cells, invasion of local structures thus interfering with normal functioning spread to distant locations and other organs in the body. Malignant tumors that begin in the brain generally do not spread to other organs of the body, but they do meet the other criteria. They do invade and destroy healthy tissue, lack distinct borders due to their tendency to send "roots" into nearby normal tissue, and can shed cells that travel to distant parts of the brain and spine by way of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Characteristic malignant brain tumor

Cancer cells that begin growing elsewhere in the body ( for instance the lung or breast) and then travel to the brain, form metastatic brain tumors. All metastatic brain tumors are, by definition, malignant.

Initially, the question is whether or not you have a brain tumor. If you do, the next step is to determine the type of tumor, as closely as possible. We will begin to make a diagnosis by taking your medical history. You are asked to describe your symptoms, how long you have had them, when they occur, if they seem to be brought on by something in particular, the order of their appearance, and if they seem to be getting worse. Input from those around you is very important. Following the question and answer phase of the diagnosis, we will perform a basic neurological examination. Following treatment, some of the same tests used to first diagnose your tumor are repeated to monitor your progress. Follow-up care following diagnosis and treatment of a brain tumor might extend for years or even a lifetime, not unlike many other medical conditions, such as diabetes. Understanding the tests, what they are, how they work, and what they can or cannot show, can help you feel more comfortable and in control.

The brain contains two major cell types: neurons and glia. The neurons control most of what we think of as the function of the brain. The glia - which means "glue" in Greek- are the supporting cells that create the framework of the brain and nourish the active neurons. The glial cells out number the neurons by more than 10 to 1, and are the cells that give rise to the family of tumors termed "gliomas". There are several distinct types of tumors within this glioma grouping. These can range from very benign, slow-growing tumors to rapidly enlarging, highly malignant cancerous types. The most commonly occurring tumors within the glioma family are astocytomas, oligodendroglioma and ependymomas. In addition, some patients have tumors with a mixture of the different cell types.

Facts:

Within the next 12 months, over 100,000 people in the U.S.A. will be diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor, and the incidence is on the rise.

Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death in children under age 15 and in young adults up to age 34.

Brain tumors are the second fastest growing cause of cancer death among those over age 65, and unlike the first and third fastest growing causes (lung cancer and melanoma), no behavioral change has been shown to reduce the risk.

Approximately 44 percent of all primary brain tumors are benign.

Unlike most benign tumors found elsewhere in the body, benign brain tumors may recur and may result in death.

Because of their location at the control center for thought, emotion and physical function, brain tumors are difficult to treat.

The cure rate for most brain tumors is significantly lower than that for most other types of tumors in the body.

Brain tumor research is under funded and the public, in general, is unaware of the magnitude of the problem.

Currently, brain tumors cannot be prevented because their cause is still unknown.

I have listed several links to sites that give more information about brain tumors and the types of tumors:

NIH and National Library of Medicine

American Brain Tumor Association

Glossary of terms

(professional review of brain tumors)

The Brain Tumor Foundation

Brain Tumor Types

Brain Tumors @..