Brain tumor-a brain tumor or intracranial neoplasm occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. there are two main types of tumors:

Brain tumor-A brain tumor or intracranial neoplasm occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors:

Brain tumor is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in the brain or close to the brain. Different types of brain tumors existed. Some brain tumors are noncancerous (benign), and some brain tumors are cancerous (malignant).

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Description

Brain tumor

It is a growth or mass of abnormal cells in the brain or close to the brain. Different types of brain tumors existed. Some brain tumors are noncancerous (benign), and some brain tumors are cancerous (malignant).

Primary brain tumors: Brain tumors can begin in the brain

Secondary, or metastatic, brain tumors: cancer can begin in other organs of the body and spreads to the brain.

Symptoms:

· nausea or vomiting

· blurred vision, loss of peripheral vision or double vision

· Seizures

· Speech difficulties

· Confusion, Personality or behavior changes

· Hearing problems

Causes:

Schwannoma (Acoustic neuroma)
Malignant glioma cells

Brain tumors:

The primary brain tumors originated in the brain itself or in tissues close to it, such as in the meninges (brain-covering membranes), pituitary gland or pineal gland, cranial nerves.

The primary brain tumors began when the normal cells acquire an error (mutations) in their DNA. These mutations will allow cells to grow and divided at increased rates and to continue living when healthy cells will die. The results an mass of abnormal cells, which forms a tumor.

Secondary (metastatic) brain tumors starts everywhere in the body and then spreads (metastasizes) to the brain.

A secondary brain tumor occurs most often in a patient who has a history of cancer. But in rare cases, a metastatic brain tumor may be the first symptom of cancer that began elsewhere in the body.

Secondary brain tumors are far more common than are primary brain tumors.

Types of primary brain tumors:

· Acoustic neuromas (schwannomas)

Gliomas

· Pituitary adenomas

Meningiomas

· PNETs

· Germ cell tumors

· Craniopharyngiomas

Types of secondary cancers:

· Breast cancer

· Lung cancer

· Colon cancer

· Melanoma

· Kidney cancer

Risk factors

· Age

· Exposures to radiation

· Family history of brain tumors

Diagnosis:

Brain tumor MRI

A neurological exam: It includes, checking hearing, vision, balance, strength coordination, and reflexes.
Imaging tests: MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) is very helpful to diagnose the brain tumors.
CT (computerized tomography) scan and PET (positron emission tomography).
Biopsy (Collecting and testing a sample of abnormal tissue)

Treatment: Treatment for a brain tumor depends upon the type, size, and location of the tumor.

Surgery: If the brain tumor is located in a place that makes it accessible for an operation, the doctor will work as much as possible to remove the brain tumor.

In some cases, tumors are easy and small to separate from surrounding brain tissue, which makes complete surgical removal possible. In some other cases, tumors can't be separated from surrounding tissue or they're located near sensitive areas in the brain, making surgery risky. In these situations the surgeon removes as much of the tumor as is safe. Surgery to remove a brain tumor carries risks, such as bleeding and infection. Tumor Surgery near the nerves that connect to eyes may have a risk of vision loss.

Radiation therapy: In this type of therapy, high-energy beams are used, such as protons or X-rays, to kill tumor cells. Radiation therapy can come out from a (external beam radiation) machine outside the body, or in very rare cases, radiation can be placed inside body close to the brain tumor (brachytherapy).

Common risk effects following immediately or during radiation include headaches, fatigue, and scalp irritation.

Radio surgery
Stereotactic radio surgery
Gamma Knife targeting
Chemotherapy: This therapy is used to kill tumor cells. Chemotherapy drugs can be taken orally in pill form or intravenously (injected into a vein). The chemotherapy drug used most often to treat brain tumors is temozolomide, which is taken as a pill.

Chemotherapy can cause nausea, vomiting and hair loss.

Targeted drug therapy: A targeted drug treatment focuses on a specific abnormalities present within the cancer cells. By targeted drug treatments these abnormalities will be blocked by causing cancer cells to die.

Targeted drug therapy is used to treat a type of brain cancer called glioblastoma is bevacizumab. This drug, given through a vein (intravenously), stops the formation of new blood vessels, cutting off blood passing to the tumor and kills the tumor cells.

Another targeted drug everolimus is used to treat a benign brain tumor that occurs in a persons with a genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis.

Everolimus blocks an enzyme in the body that plays a role in the growth of cancer cells.