Health Care

Patients with brain tumors have a variety of treatment options. The particular treatment that each patient receives depends on several characteristics of the tumor, including: Location : Which part of the brain is affected? Size : How large is the tumor? Stage : How aggressive is the tumor and how far has it progressed? Type : Is it a primary or secondary (metastasized) tumor? The treatment may also depend on the age and wishes of the patient; some patients choose to be more involved in the treatment decisions. A patient also usually has the option to get a second opinion from another doctor if he is uncertain about the treatment plan his primary physician or surgeon suggests. Each type of treatment has risks, and survival rates depend of a variety of factors. Brain Tumor Treatments Brain tumor treatments may involve the use of one or more of the following techniques: Chemotherapy Craniotomy Radiation therapy Radiosurgery Surgery Targeted drug therapy. Brain Tum...

Rehabilitation is an important facet of brain tumor recovery after brain surgery or another brain tumor treatment. Patients have many options for rehabilitation therapy, including: Diet Exercise Occupational therapy Physical therapy Speech therapy. Brain Tumor Treatment Brain tumor treatment can be relatively minimal or extremely invasive. Radiation therapy, for example, is non-invasive, but may have significant side effects. Surgery is often a very effective invasive treatment, but can be life-altering or have major complications. Rehabilitation options will vary depending on the damage caused by the tumor and the type of treatment a patient receives. Some patients may lose the use of appendages, hearing, speech or vision, while others may only experience nausea and vomiting as a result of their treatment. Brain Tumor Recovery Many factors affect the brain tumor recovery process, such as the patient's age and health before treatment. Patients can greatly increase ...

Every brain tumor is unique, and patients present with a variety of complications, depending on the type and location of the tumor. Some brain tumor complications are common in multiple types of tumors, and others are only associated with one type of brain tumor. For example, brain tumor headaches are one of the most common complications for all brain tumor patients. Many different types of rehabilitation are available for patients who suffer from brain tumor complications. Physicians and therapists can help patients improve their quality of life before, during and after brain tumor treatment. Brain Tumor Seizures and Other Complications Brain tumors may cause a myriad of problems, including: Decreased sensation Depression Difficulties with walking or speech Headaches Hearing problems, such as ringing or loss Lack of coordination or balance Loss of ability to interact or function Loss of brain function Loss of, or change in, vision Personality changes Return of tumo...

When a person is diagnosed with a brain tumor, treatment will depend on several diagnostic factors, including: Classification:  Type of tumor Grading:  Degree of tumor malignancy Staging:  Extent of invasiveness or metastasis. Brain cancer, depending on the stage, may spread quickly through surrounding tissues. Understanding the tumor with respect to these variables allows the physician to predict the behavior of the mass, provide a prognosis and determine appropriate treatment options. Brain Tumor Classification Following a microscopic examination of tumor cells, pathologists are able to classify a brain tumor according to the type of cells from which it arises. For example, glial (non-neuronal cells in the brain) refers to the type of cells and tumors including: Astrocytes (astrocytomas) Ependymal cells (ependymomas) Oligodendrocytes (oligodendrogliomas). The suffix "-oma" refers to a mass or tumor. These tumors can be further classified into subsets...

The location and size of a brain tumor are major factors in determining how it affects the body. Brain tumor symptoms and side effects depend on which part of the brain tissue is being damaged or compressed by the uncontrolled growth of cells. Tumor Biology Understanding tumor biology can help patients learn about the various side effects they experience. A tumor is composed of cells that grow and reproduce out of control. Unlike other parts of the body, the skull does not allow extra space for this increase in mass. The resulting pressure, therefore, can wreak havoc on the surrounding tissue. Because different parts of the brain are responsible for different functions, the location and symptoms of the tumor are related. Brain tumors cause a "mass effect," or damage to brain tissue due to increased intracranial pressure (IICP). IICP can result from: Edema : Swelling of the brain from fluid accumulation Hydrocephalus : Blockage of CSF fluid flowing in the brain Siz...

Brain tumors are the second most common cancer during childhood—second only to leukemia—and the most common variety of solid tumors in children. According to the Mayo Clinic, in the United States, 2,000 children (under age 16) are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. Childhood Brain Tumors The majority of pediatric brain tumors are classified as primary tumors, or tumors that begin in the brain. Although primary tumors usually don't spread beyond the spinal cord and brain, they can cause significant side effects when the mass presses on vital tissues and structures in the brain. Gliomas, brain tumors originating in the supportive glial cells, account for half of all childhood brain tumors. Other common types of pediatric brain tumors include: Medulloblastomas : These account for 20 percent of all childhood brain tumors. Medulloblastomas originate in the cerebellum and are the most common type of malignant pediatric brain tumors. They affect boys more often than girls...