Brain tumors are certain growths that appear in or near the brain. These tumors may appear even in the brain tissues or in tissues near it including nerves, the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, and membranes that cover the brain’s surface.
When these growths appear in the brain they are called primary brain tumors. If the tumors happen in tissues near the brain they are called secondary brain tumors (also known as metastatic brain tumors).
There are multiple brain tumors but not all of them are cancerous (malignant). If the brain tumor is not cancerous, it is called benign. When a malignant tumor appears, it usually grows fast and may destroy healthy brain tissue.
Furthermore, the size of the tumors varies from very small to very large. Some of them can be found when are very small because cause symptoms while others are not identified until they grow very large. Symptoms usually appear depending on the part of the brain where the tumor grows. For instance, if the growths occur in the part of the brain that is more active, the symptoms may occur right away but if the tumor happens in the brain’s less active part, they can be found when grows large.
The treatment for brain tumors depends on different factors. These include the size and location of the tumor, existing health problems, age, and others. Physicians usually recommend radiation therapy and surgery for people with brain tumors.
Brain Tumor Types
The types of brain tumors are classified according to the cells that make this abnormal growth. However, there are specific laboratory tests that help to determine which cell type is involved. In addition, benign (noncancerous) tumors tend to be slow-growing while malignant (cancerous) tend to be fast-growing tumors. Check below brain tumor types:
- Gliomas and related brain tumors – Certain growths in the cells that look similar to glial cells are called gliomas. These cells support and surround the nerve cells in the tissue of the brain. However, there are different glioma types. These include glioblastoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and ependymoma. While most gliomas are malignant, some of them are benign. Moreover, gliomas are the most common cancerous brain tumor.
- Choroid plexus tumors – This tumor type begins in the cells that produce fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The tumors that begin in the cerebrospinal fluid are called choroid plexus tumors and appear in the ventricles (brain cavities). This malignant brain tumor type usually happens in children.
- Embryonal tumors – In such cases, the tumors appear in the cells that are left over from fetal development (also known as embryonal cells). This cancer type usually occurs in infants and young children and the most common type is medulloblastoma. Commonly, it is found in the lower back part of the brain (cerebellum).
Other Brain Tumors
However, there are many other tumors that may begin in or around the brain. Sometimes, these abnormal growths may begin in the muscles, blood vessels, connective tissue around the brain, bones, immune system cells (primary central nervous system lymphoma), and others.
- Nerve tumors – These abnormal growths (tumors) begin in and around nerves and the most common type that occurs in the head is called acoustic neuroma (schwannoma). This is a benign tumor located in the primary nerve that connects the brain to the inner ear.
- Pituitary tumors – In some cases, brain tumors may start in and around the pituitary gland (a small gland located at the base of the brain). However, most of them are benign and appear in the gland itself. However, some people may experience a craniopharyngioma that happens near the pituitary gland.
- Pineal tumors – In such cases, tumors appear in and around the pineal gland that is located in the center of the brain. This gland is responsible for the production of a hormone called Melatonin that helps with sleep. Pineal tumors can be either malignant (pineoblastoma) or benign and happen mostly in children.
- Meningiomas – These tumors start in the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and often are benign. However, sometimes meningiomas can be cancerous. In addition, meningiomas are the most common type of benign brain tumors.
- Germ cell tumors – These tumors begin in the reproductive cells (known as germ cells). Germ cells go on to become sperm and egg cells and are mostly found in the ovaries and testicles. In some cases, these cells can be found in the brain or other body parts. When germ cell tumors occur in the brain they are located near the pineal or pituitary gland. In addition, germ cell tumors happen mostly in children and are noncancerous (benign).
Symptoms
The symptoms that appear due to brain tumors are different because they depend on the type, size, and location of the abnormal growth. Check below some general brain tumor symptoms:
- Headaches (that may happen frequently and be more severe)
- Pressure in the head that often worsens in the morning
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Migraines
- Eye issues (including blurred vision, double vision, or loss of side vision)
- Movement problems
- Trouble with balance
- Speaking problems
- Confusion
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Memory problems
- Personality or behavior changes
- Seizures
- Hearing issues
- Dizziness
- Vertigo
- Hunger and weight gain
While cancerous tumors cause symptoms right away that develop gradually, noncancerous ones may cause symptoms after months or even years. In most cases, malignant tumor symptoms worsen quite fast and sometimes may appear suddenly.
Headaches Caused by Brain Tumors
One of the most common symptoms of brain tumors is headaches and it occurs in roughly half of people with these abnormal growths. Commonly, headaches occur when the tumors grow enough large that press on the brain.
In most cases, headaches worsen in the morning but they may occur at any time. Some people experience headaches that are so strong that wake them up from sleep. However, if the tumors appear in the back of the head, you may experience a headache with neck pain but if happens in the front of the head, headaches feel like sinus and eye pain.
Brain Tumors Symptoms by Location
The symptoms often occur according to the brain part that is affected. The main part of the brain is called the cerebrum.
- Tumors in the front of the brain – The frontal lobes of the brain control thinking and movement. When tumors in this brain part occur, they can cause walking and balance problems.
- Tumors in the middle of the brain – This part of the brain contains the parietal lobes that help process information about taste, smell, hearing, vision, and touch. Vision and hearing problems are examples of symptoms that may appear when abnormal growth begins in this brain part.
- Tumors in the back of the brain – Here are located the occipital lobes that control vision. Blindness may occur when a brain tumor happens in this part of the brain.
- Tumors in the lower part of the brain – In the brain part are located temporal lobes that help process memories and senses. If a brain tumor starts in the lower part of the brain, you may experience smell or taste something that is not there.
If you experience any of the previous symptoms or others that bother you, immediately visit a healthcare professional.
Causes
Tumors that Begin in the Brain
The abnormal growths (tumors) that start in the brain are called primary brain tumors. These tumors usually happen in the brain or nearby tissues including membranes that cover the brain (meninges), nerves, the pineal gland, and others.
Commonly, brain tumors occur due to DNA changes (mutations) that make abnormal cells multiply and grow abnormally. When these cells become too much they form a mass called a tumor. Healthcare providers do not know exactly what causes these DNA changes and sometimes it is not possible to determine the exact cause of the tumors.
In addition, children mostly experience primary brain tumors while adults experience them due to cancer that spreads from another body part.
Metastatic Cancer
In such cases, these tumors are called secondary brain tumors. It means that the cancer begins in other body parts and spreads to the brain. While any cancer type may spread to the brain, the following ones are the most common types of cancer that go to the brain. Examples include:
- Melanoma
- Lung cancer
- Colon cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Breast cancer
It is not clear why some cancer types are more likely to spread to the brain than others but secondary brain tumors usually happen in people with a history of cancer.
Risk Factors
While in most cases, it is not possible to determine the exact cause of brain tumors, physicians have found some factors that may increase the risk. Examples include:
- Age – Tumors that start in the brain may happen at any age but mostly occur in older people. However, there are some brain tumors that are most common in children.
- Race – There are some tumor types that occur more frequently in people of certain races. For example, meningiomas commonly happen in Black people and gliomas tend to occur in white people more commonly.
- Radiation exposure – Those who are exposed to strong radiation such as radiation therapy for another cancer type, are at increased risk of developing brain tumors. However, low-level radiation is not linked with brain tumors.
- Inherited syndromes – There are some DNA changes that run in families and may increase your risk of brain tumors. For example, DNA mutations that cause neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, tuberous sclerosis, Lynch syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, familial adenomatous polyposis, Cowden syndrome, and others.
How to Prevent Brain Tumors?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to prevent brain tumors. Some people get them without any obvious reason. However, regular screening is recommended for people with an increased risk of brain tumors. These screenings may help identify the tumor when it is small, which increases the chances of treating it.
It is recommended to consult with your healthcare professional about ways to manage brain tumors if you have a family history or syndromes that increase the risk of brain tumors.
Diagnosis
If your healthcare professional suspects you have a brain tumor, he/she may perform the following tests to confirm the condition and exclude other conditions that cause similar symptoms. Examples include:
- A neurological examination – Physicians perform this procedure to determine how well your brain works. During this test, doctors will check your vision, balance, hearing, coordination, strength, and reflexes.
- Head CT scan – This is an imaging test used to get pictures of the head to check for abnormalities in the brain. If results show you have a brain tumor, you may need a brain MRI.
- Brain MRI – This is another imaging test that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to make detailed images of the brain but can be used for other purposes as well. Physicians use an MRI scan because it makes images more clearly than other imaging tests.
- Brain PET scan – It is also known as positron emission tomography scan and it is used to identify some brain tumors. Before this test, doctors will inject a tracer that travels through the blood and attaches to the brain tumor cells. In most cases, doctors use PET scans to detect fast-growing tumors including glioblastomas and some oligodendrogliomas.
- Biopsy – During this procedure, surgeons remove a small sample of the brain tumor and send it to the laboratory for testing. Physicians will check this sample for cancerous cells.
Once you are diagnosed with brain tumors, doctors may perform additional tests to stage the cancer. It will help your doctor to prescribe a treatment that is the most effective for you.
Treatment
Healthcare professionals usually prescribe different treatments for people with brain tumors because it depends on several factors. These include the size, type, and location of the tumors, age, existing health problems, and others. However, doctors often recommend surgery, radiation therapy, radiosurgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.
However, not every time a tumor is found treatment is needed. For instance, if the tumor is small, grows slowly (benign), and does not cause symptoms you may not require treatment. However, you should have a brain MRI several times per year to make sure it does not grow.
Surgery
This is the primary treatment for people with brain tumors. However, not every time it is possible to remove the tumor completely. Physicians usually recommend surgery for people with brain cancer and benign tumors of the brain.
While some tumors are small and can be easily removed, others near too close to other tissues of the brain and may not be removed completely. In such cases, doctors may recommend additional radiation therapy or chemotherapy to destroy the cancer cells that may remain after surgery. Check some surgery types used for people with brain tumors:
- Craniotomy – This surgery type involves the removal of a skull part along with brain tumors. This intervention can be used for people with both tumor types including malignant and benign.
- Endoscopic brain surgery – This procedure involves a long and thin tube (endoscope) that is put into the brain. Thereafter, surgeons will put special tools through this tube to remove the tumor. In most cases, this surgery type is used to remove tumors from the pituitary gland. Doctors insert the endoscope through the nose and sinuses into the brain.
In any case, surgery to remove brain tumors has a risk of complications and adverse reactions. These include bleeding, blood clots, and brain tissue injuries.
Radiation Therapy
This is a procedure that uses strong energy beams that come from different sources including X-rays, protons, and others. There are two types of radiation therapy. These include external beam radiation and internal radiation therapy (also called brachytherapy).
The most common negative effects of radiation therapy include extreme tiredness (fatigue), headaches, memory loss, and hair loss.
Radiosurgery
This treatment option is called stereotactic radiosurgery and it involves intense radiation beams that are sent to the brain tumor from different angles. While the beams are not very powerful, they deliver a large dose of radiation that helps destroy the tumors. Radiosurgery can be used either for malignant or benign brain tumors. Check below the technology types used in radiosurgery:
- Linear accelerator radiosurgery – These machines are also known as LINAC machines and they aim carefully shaped energy beams from multiple angles to the tumor. The source of beams is X-rays.
- Gamma Knife radiosurgery – This machine aims multiple small radiation beams at the same time to the tumor. These beams are produced by gamma rays.
- Proton radiosurgery – In such cases, beams are made by protons and it is the newest radiosurgery type.
The most common adverse reactions caused by radiosurgery include dry head skin, itching, skin blisters, and hair loss.
Chemotherapy
This treatment option involves strong medicines usually given intravenously (IV) to destroy cancer cells. It may be recommended by doctors either before or after surgery. However, a pill form also is available and it is usually placed in the brain tissue during surgery. Nausea, vomiting, and hair loss are the most common negative effects of chemotherapy.
Targeted Therapy
This therapy involves specific medications that attack certain proteins in the cancer cells. Therefore, these medications block these proteins causing abnormal cells to die. Furthermore, physicians may perform certain tests to determine if this treatment option will be effective for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary symptoms of brain tumors?
- Seizures
- Headaches
- Speaking problems
- Personality or behavior changes
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Trouble walking
- Dizziness
- Memory loss
If any of the previous symptoms occur, immediately visit your healthcare professional.
What are the causes of brain tumors?
However, there are few known causes of primary brain tumors but experts think age, genetic syndromes, and exposure to radiation could play a role. For more details, discuss it with your healthcare professional.
What tests are usually used to identify a brain tumor?
Physicians commonly use CT (computerized tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and sometimes angiogram or X-rays to determine the location and size of a brain tumor. If you have additional questions, ask your healthcare professional.
