The brain tumor is characterized by the presence and growth of abnormal cells in the brain or meninges, which are membranes that line the brain and spinal cord, this type of tumor can be benign or malignant and its causes are not well defined, however, it can occur due to genetic mutations or cancer metastasis from other parts of the body , such as breast cancer, for example.
Symptoms of the brain tumor depend on the location, size, and type of tumor, but usually cause severe headaches, blurred vision, lack of balance, and even seizures. Contains other symptoms of the brain tumor.
- Generally.
- The brain tumor does not metastasize.
- I.
- E.
- There is no spread to other parts of the body.
- But usually the malignant cells of this tumor grow and proliferate in the brain itself.
- Most benign brain tumors and well-defined limits therefore have a cure and can be treated by surgery.
- However.
- In the case of a malignant tumor.
- Treatment may be based on chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy.
- Or targeted therapy.
The brain tumor could be classified as a primary tumor, which occurs when abnormal cells come from the nervous system itself; secondary, which occurs when abnormal tumor cells in the brain come from another cancerous organ, such as the lung, kidney, intestine, or breast; In this way, the main types of primary brain tumors are:
There are also ependymomas, which are a type of brain tumor that develops from ependymarian cells, which are responsible for neural tube coverage, it is said, that covers the nervous system.
Treatment of a brain tumor varies depending on the size, type, and degree of the tumor and also depends on the spread of the tumor to other parts of the central nervous system, and the oncologist may indicate several types of treatment, such as the following options:
Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that involves the application of drugs intravenously through a catheter, with the aim of destroying the tumor cells that cause the brain tumor, in these cases the inappropriate drugs are carmustine and temozolomide, which can also be used in tablet form.
However, this type of treatment can also destroy healthy cells, causing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, fatigue, for example.
The doses of these chemotherapeutic drugs and the number of sessions indicated will be determined by the oncologist and, in general, applications will be performed within a range that allows the recovery of healthy cells.
Targeted therapy consists of drugs that act directly on the genes and proteins of brain tumor cells, preventing growth and helping to destroy these types of tumors; In this way, in conjunction with the action of these drugs, the immune system is strengthened and the body defense cells also fight brain tumors.
For these types of therapies to be applied without the need for specific tests and samples to identify these genes and proteins in tumor cells, all types of tumors have these drugs to perform treatment. The drug bevacizumab is a case of targeted therapy used in certain types of brain tumors, depending on the dose that will depend on the size and severity of the tumor.
Radiation therapy is used to treat brain tumors by directly applying radiation emitted by a specific machine, called a linear accelerator, which is similar to a CT and MRI machine; these sources of radiation act directly on the tumor area, eliminating cancer cells and thus helping to reduce and eradicate the brain tumor.
In some cases brachytherapy may be indicated, which is a type of radiation therapy that is performed by a radioactive implant introduced into the brain, which emits radiation gradually, the treatment time is different for each type of tumor and the radiation therapist is the one that indicates the sessions and radiation dose.
Surgery may be indicated depending on the location of the brain tumor, as it is usually a delicate procedure that requires a lot of attention from medical surgeons, as the brain is an organ that coordinates most of the body’s activities, such as speech, vision, and movement.
Surgical intervention may also be indicated as part of the diagnosis, through a brain biopsy, which involves removing a sample of brain tissue to be tested in the lab, this procedure is important because it can help the oncologist orient and recommend the most appropriate. There is also radiosurgery, in which radiation therapy is applied at the time of brain tumor removal surgery.
Supportive therapy relies on the use of medications to relieve symptoms caused by a brain tumor, such as corticosteroids, which help reduce brain inflammation, reduce headaches and reduce a person’s chances. A funny consequence of this, such as increased intracranial pressure.
Anticonvulsant medications may also be recommended to prevent a person with a brain tumor from having seizures, and pain relievers may be indicated to relieve pain and anxiolytics and depression, as this type of tumor causes emotional changes.
The brain tumor can affect important structures of the nervous system, causing changes in concentration, memory, speech and even body movement; In the end, these changes could lead to sequelae such as difficulty communicating, vision problems, and hemiplegia, which while the body side remains motionless, for example.
In addition, the treatment of brain tumors, especially surgery, can have side effects, such as limiting body movements, however, as a person diagnosed with this type of tumor, a team of multidisciplinary professionals will be defined with the aim of taking care of different situations, such as the physical therapist, who will be in charge of maintaining movement, and the speech therapist , which will perform language therapies.