Brain cancer is a disease in which certain brain cells develop and form a mass that interferes with the general functioning of the brain, such as muscle control, sensation, memory, and other functions that help you control your body. Tumors made of cancer cells grow and spread to other parts of the brain. These are called malignant tumors. Non-cancerous tumors do not spread and are mostly localized. These are called benign tumors. Primary tumors are those that develop in brain cells. Secondary tumors are those that develop in other parts of the body and then spread to the brain. These are also called metastatic tumors.
Brain cancer grades
There are four different classifications of brain cancers:
Grade I – Benign neoplasms with slow growth. Looks like normal brain cells.
Grade II – Malignant neoplasms that appear less normal than Grade I tumors
Grade III – Malignant tumors very different from normal cells. They are actively growing and look distinctly abnormal.
Grade IV – Malignant tumors with cells of distinctly abnormal appearance that develop and spread rapidly.
Treatment of cancer of the brain tumor
The approach to treating brain cancer is personalized according to the individual diagnosis. The treatments depend on the type of cancer, the location in the brain, the size of the tumor as well as the age and general health of the patient.
Treatment options for brain tumors are classified into surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Depending on the individual diagnosis, a combination of any of the above methods is used.
With surgery, the tumor is separated from normal tissues. It's an invasive approach to treating cancer. The other two methods are non-invasive. Radiation therapy helps destroy the tumor with high-energy radiation that focuses on the tumor to destroy the cells. It destroys the tumor's ability to replicate and spread. Generally, X or gamma rays are used for this purpose. The radiation is highly concentrated and does not affect the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor.
In chemotherapy, some drugs are used to destroy the cells responsible for the tumor. There are many types of drugs used. These drugs are designed to fight against different types of cancer cells. The whole procedure protects healthy cells from the effects of drugs.
Some tumors are declared inoperable because their surgical removal can have a negative impact on other parts of the brain. The surgeon takes this call. However, it is very important to understand that a surgeon can declare a tumor inoperable, but that another surgeon can also exploit it. It is a good idea to take some notice before giving up.
Other treatment options may include heat treatments and immunotherapy. For all the procedures mentioned, there are side effects. With surgery, there may be swelling, possible damage to healthy tissue or convulsions. With chemotherapy, patients may experience nausea, vomiting, hair loss and lack of energy. Radiation therapy is known to have side effects similar to chemotherapy.
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