Brain tumor is a disease in the brin where cancer cells may develop in the brain tissue. The cancer cells may grow to form a mass of cancer tissues which is also known as a tumor. This tumor interferes with brain tissue functions such as sensation, memory, muscle control or other usual body functions. Tumors that primarily comprise of cancer cells are called malignant tumors and the ones that are composed of of benign tumors. The cancer cells that develop from brain tissues are called primary brain tumors. The numbers prove that the disease is not rare and is likely to have chances of developing in approximately 20,000 people every year. There are usually two types of brain cancer. The primary brain cancer starts in the brain whereas the metastatic brain cancer starts in the body and moves to the brain. Tumors can either be malignant with cancer cells that can grow quickly or benign with no cancer cells.
The primary brain cancer hardly spreads beyond the central nervous system. Death may occur from uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of the skull. The metastatic brain cancer indicates that the disease is advanced and has a poor prognosis. These tumors are made of cancerous cells from a tumor which is present somewhere in the body. The cells are spread to the brain from another tumor in a process called metastasis.
There are various symptoms of brain tumor. They may damage neurological pathways and may compress and invade brain tissue. The symptom develop over a period of time and the traits of the symptoms differ depending on the actual size and the place where the tumor is located. The disease is not very painful in the beginning. However as the size increases, the person may experience slight discomfort in the beginning and then later extreme pain as the cancer corrodes the other structures in the body. There are a few telltale signs that tell that there is something wrong with the body. But before jumping to conclusion, one nees to visit the doctor to be diagnosed correctly. For instance, signs such as rapid breathing rate, abnormal breathing and fever may be pneumonia.
The symptoms differ from place to place. Listed below are the different areas in the brain and corresponding symptoms of brain tumor:
Parietal Lobe
Inability to write
Impaired speech
Seizures
Spatial disorders
Lack of recognition
Tumor in the temporal lobe may cause impaired seizures and speeches. Whereas a tumor in the brainstem may have the following symptoms
Difficulty speaking and swallowing
Behavioral and emotional changes
Morning headaches
Drowsiness
Loss of hearing
Muscle weakness on one side of the body
Drooping eyelids, vision loss
Vomiting
Symptoms of brain tumor in meninges (meningioma) do depend on which area of the brain is under pressure. Some include:
Hearing loss
Incontinence
Headache
Seizures
Mental and emotional changes
Prolonged drowsiness
Vision loss
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