Brain Tumor - How Is It Treated?

A brain tumor, also called a central auditory forebrain tumor (CAT), is an abnormal growth of brain cells within the temporal or cerebral cortex; most are benign, however some malignant tumors are malignant. Tumors can either grow from within the brain tissue (secondary) or from another area of the body and it can spread from the brain to other areas of the body. When they are discovered, these brain tumors are usually diagnosed by a physician through brain imaging or through surgery. There are two kinds of brain tumor symptoms to be aware of.

One kind is called primary. This kind occurs when the cancerous cells invade and crowd out normal cells. In primary brain tumor, there is no evidence of an infection or any outside force causing the cells to multiply out of control. These cells will show up as a cluster on the brain's surface or behind the eyes, in the cerebrospinal fluid where they could migrate or travel to other areas of the brain, or sometimes in the surrounding brain tissue.

Secondary brain tumors develop over time as a result of another condition or abnormality. These tumors could also be secondary to infection, another type of tumor, or because the cells are abnormally fast growing. There is some evidence that these types of tumors are genetically determined. Since early detection is vital for effective treatment, the sooner a tumor is detected, the more likely it will be treated effectively.

Other kinds of brain tumor grows on the side of the brain just below or above the eyes (glandular cell carcinoma) or in the temporal (cingulocytoma) area. They can include stroke, aneurysms, temporal arteritis, anencephaly, and omphaloacanthoma. Some can grow in other areas of the body as well, such as the lungs, kidneys, or heart. Neuroendocrine cell carcinomas are particularly concerning because they can affect other glands in the body and even cause developmental disorders in developing fetuses.

Pituitary ependymomas are unusual types of brain tumors, particularly because they appear in areas of the brain with no other function, such as the frontal cortex, and they display features common to normal ependyma. Pituitary tumors can include both primary and secondary types. One of the types, pituitary ependymomas that grow in the pituitary gland, produce testicular steroids and hormones.

Cancerous non-cancerous tumors are another class of cancerous growth that could come from a different part of the body than some types of cancer. This includes breast cancers that grow on the ovaries, lung cancers that occur in the lungs, kidney tumors, and many other non-cancerous growths. Other types of secondary brain tumors may develop along with cancer, which suggests that treatment for one tumor may adversely affect another. It is possible for some secondary brain tumors to be malignant, but this is not always the case.

The risk of having a secondary brain tumor may be increased in people who smoke, have had a history of other non-malignant tumors in the area of the brain, or have some other pre-existing condition that increases their risk. For example, people who have kidney disease, are pregnant, or have some kind of chronic illness like diabetes or high blood pressure run an increased risk. A similar type of risk applies to people with a history of glaucoma. Sometimes, benign tumors recur after surgery. This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. Treatment for the primary tumor often helps prevent a second one from occurring.

When a brain tumor spreads to other parts of the body or to nearby normal cells, it is known as a secondary glomerular tumor. If the tumor spreads to the eyes or another part of the head, then it is referred to as a peri-pleural brain tumor. When a cancer spreads to other areas of the body, such as the lung, the abdomen, or even the skin, it is referred to as a metastasized tumor. Some cancers, such as melanoma, are not spread throughout the body, but instead start in one area and then spread outwards. These are the glomus tumors.

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