A brain tumor happens when abnormal cells grow in or around your brain. It can be malignant or benign. Malignant tumors are cancerous, while benign tumors are non-cancerous. Brain tumors can increase pressure in your skull, causing brain damage. A brain tumor can originate in your brain or spread to your brain from another body organ like a lung or breast. The symptoms you will experience will depend on your brain tumor’s location and size. Your specialist,Dr. Robert Layer Bethlehem, will personalize brain tumor treatment based on your unique needs.
Risk factors
Family history: Although rare, brain tumors can be passed genetically, taking about five to ten percent of all brain tumor cases. If an individual in your family has been diagnosed with this condition, you can contact your doctor for genetic counseling.
Chemical exposure: Exposure to specific chemicals can lead to a brain tumor. You can find the chemical elements in your environment.
Radiation exposure: You have a high chance of getting a brain tumor if you expose yourself to ionizing radiation. Radiation exposure can occur during high-radiation cancer therapies or nuclear fallout.
Diagnosis
History: Your doctor will inquire about your medical history and any family history of brain tumors.
CT scan: A CT scan gives more details of your head than an X-ray. Your doctor can include contrast which involves a special dye that will provide a better view of structures like blood vessels.
MRI: Ahead MRI helps to detect brain tumors. It does not use radiation and shows more detailed images of your brain than a CT scan.
Angiography: This test involves your specialist injecting a particular dye in your artery, mainly around the groin area. The shade will travel to your brain and allow the specialist to observe the tumor’s blood supply. Angiography is commonly helpful during surgery.
Skull X-rays: A specific X-ray of the skull can help to see whether your brain tumor has caused fractures in the bones of your head. It can also help to pick calcium deposits sometimes present in your tumor. Calcium deposits can also occur in your bloodstream if cancer has moved to the bones.
Biopsy: Your doctor will obtain a small piece of your brain tumor and take it to the lab for more observations under a microscope. A biopsy helps to know whether your tumor is malignant or benign. It can also detect whether your cancer originated from your brain or another body part.
Treatment
The treatment technique your doctor recommends depends on your tumor’s form, size, location, and overall health.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy involves high-energy X-rays that kill brain cancer cells.
Chemotherapy: This treatment kills actively growing cells. Since cancer cells grow continuously, it is an effective therapy. Chemotherapy can cause side effects because, during the treatment process, it also kills healthy normal cells.
Surgery: If your brain tumor is malignant, your doctor will recommend surgery. The primary goal is to remove cancer without causing harm to the healthy parts of your brain.
Brain tumors can cause pressure on your skull or damage the brain tissue so ensure you seek treatment early to prevent complications. Schedule an appointment at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery for brain tumor treatment to avoid future complications.
