BRAIN TUMOR

 Basic information

description

A brain tumor is an abnormal cell growth in the brain. The growth may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The symptoms can be caused by pressure as the tumor gets larger, or can be caused by the location, size, and type of tumor. Brain tumors can affect any age group.

FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Headache that is worse when lying down.
• Seizures (convulsions).
• Memory loss, confusion, and loss of concentration.
• Personality and behavior changes.
• Vomiting or nausea.
• Problems with vision. This includes double vision.
• Weakness on one side of the body.
• Lack of balance and dizziness.
• Loss of sense of smell and hearing.

causes

Exact cause is unknown. There are genetic factors and environmental factors involved. Some tumors begin in the brain and are called primary. Other brain tumors are called secondary. They have spread (metastasized) from other cancers in the body. These include cancers of the breast, lungs, colon, or skin (melanoma).

risk increases with

• Unknown for most brain tumors.
• Radiation to the head for other cancer treatment.
• Rarely, certain types of tumors run in families.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

No specific preventive measures are known.

expected outcomes

The outcome depends on several factors. These include type of tumor, its size, location, spread of tumor, other cancer in the body, age and health of the patient, and the patient's response to treatment.

possible complications

• Long-term physical and mental side effects. They may be due to the effect of the tumor or to treatment.
• Tumor may recur after treatment.
• Death.

 diagnosis & treatment

general measures

• Your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms and activities. A variety of medical tests will be done to diagnose the tumor and to see if it has spread to or from other places in the body (called staging).
• The treatment plan will be determined by the tumor's size, location, type, stage, and your age and health status. Because there are over 120 different types of brain tumors, treatment needs to be specific for each person.
• Treatment can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy (anticancer drugs), and targeted drug therapy (kill specific cancer cells).
• Surgery is often needed. It may involve removal of all or part of the tumor and nearby tissue.
• Radiation may be used for certain stages of the tumor. It is normally not used for children under age 3.
• Immunotherapy uses the body's immune system to help fight the cancer.
• Treatment may involve steps to relieve symptoms and make you comfortable, rather than treating the tumor.
• To learn more: American Brain Tumor Association, 2720 River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018; (800) 886-2282; website: www.abta.org or National Brain Tumor Foundation, 22 Battery Street, Suite 612, San Francisco, CA 94111; (800) 934-2873; website: www.braintumor.org.

medications

• Your health care provider may prescribe:
  • Drugs to reduce swelling of the brain tissue.
  • Drugs to control seizures.
  • Pain relievers.
  • Drugs that kill cancer cells (chemotherapy).
  • Targeted drugs to kill specific cancer cells.

activity

Stay as active as your strength allows.

diet

Eat a normal, well-balanced diet. You may need to take vitamins and minerals if you cannot eat normally.

 notify our office if

• You or a family member has brain tumor symptoms.
• New, unexplained symptoms occur during treatment.

Special Notes: