Despite the great advances in medicine in the treatment of cancer, the diagnosis of cancer for most patients sounds like a death sentence. The most important thing in such pathologies is early detection and effective therapy. Brain cancer symptoms do not always appear immediately, making diagnosis difficult. Not all neoplasms in the brain can lead to a tragic outcome.
What is brain cancer
This is the appearance of malignant tumors in the tissues of the brain. Pathology is rare, but it poses a great danger, since there are many difficulties not only with diagnosis, but also with the choice of treatment tactics.
The tumor gradually grows, its cells begin to separate and settle in other parts of the brain.
It is important not to miss the first symptoms of brain cancer, only in this case the patient has a chance to survive.
Causes of brain cancer in adults
It is impossible to name the causes of the formation of malignant tumors in the brain with certainty, so doctors only name predisposing factors,can increase the risk of developing cancer. These include:
- Hereditary predisposition. It is believed that if someone in the generations had oncology, then the likelihood of developing cancer increases.
- Exposure to radiation. Employees of chemical laboratories and research stations are at risk.
- The effect on brain tissue of chemical compounds, such as mercury, lead, vinyl chloride. The risk group includes employees of chemical enterprises, for example, in the production of plastics.
- Having bad habits. Ingestion of large amounts of nicotine and alcohol leads to mutations in normal cells, which can provoke the development of cancer.
- HIV may be the cause of brain cancer symptoms.
- Genetic diseases: Gorlin's syndrome, tuberculous sclerosis, APC gene disorders.
- Prolonged and uncontrolled treatment with antibacterial agents.
- Weakened immunity, especially after organ transplants.
- Secondary neoplasms in the brain can develop against the background of metastases in other organs. Cancer cells spread throughout the body with the bloodstream and settle in the brain tissues, giving rise to a malignant tumor.
If we consider cancer by gender, then women are affected by pathology more often than men.
Causes of cancer in children
Most experts believe that the symptoms of brain cancer in children are most oftenbegin to appear if the immune system cannot cope with the negative effects of carcinogens. The hereditary factor should not be discounted either.
Risk factors for developing brain cancer in childhood include:
- Different types of radiation: radiation, ultraviolet, ionizing.
- Exposure to harmful substances: arsenic, chromium.
- Vinyl chloride, which is often used in the manufacture of plastics and can be made into children's toys.
- Sugar substitutes such as aspartame.
- The impact of herbicides and pesticides.
- Recently, more and more people began to talk about the effects of electromagnetic fields coming from mobile phones.
- The constant presence of smoked meats on the table.
- Intrauterine malformations.
- Finding viruses in the body.
- Infectious pathologies of a woman during childbearing.
- Alcohol and smoking abuse during pregnancy.
In children, malignant brain tumors rank second among cancer pathologies.
Childhood frequency
In children, oncological neoplasms of the brain are more common than those of the spinal cord. If we take the age category up to 15 years, then in 30 thousand one child is sick with brain cancer. If in adults neoplasms are most often localized in the membranes of the brain, then in children the brainstem and cerebellum are affected.
By age, a brain tumor is distributed as follows:
- Most often this diagnosis occurs in children aged 10 to14 years old.
- Much less often - from 5 to 9.
- In children under 4 years old, pathology is diagnosed even less often.
According to statistics, the symptoms of brain cancer are more common in boys of 10 years of age. For indicators of the disease, the ecological situation in the region, the equipment of medical institutions with equipment for early diagnosis, and the preparedness of doctors in the fight against cancer in children are of no small importance.
Peculiarities of brain oncology in children
The brain is the focal point that regulates the work of the whole organism. Each department has its own tasks and functions. The appearance of a neoplasm in any part cannot pass without a trace, but cancer in children has its own characteristics:
- Proceeds more aggressively.
- Located more often along the central line and in the cranial fossa.
- Can capture multiple shares at once.
- Most often primary tumors develop, but there are cases of penetration of metastases from other foci.
Varieties of tumors in children
Children often have benign tumors in the brain. They respond much better to therapy, do not form metastases, but there is a danger of their degeneration into malignant ones, so removal is required.
Specialists distinguish the following types of neoplasms in the brain in children:
- Membranes develop from the meninges. This includes meningiomas. They are benign but require careful handling.
- Neuroepithelial. Start theirdevelopment from brain tissue. Occurs in 70% of cases. They are not only benign, but also cancerous.
- Dysembryogenetic tumors. They begin to develop during the period of intrauterine development. The cerebellum is often affected, metastases spread through the CSF system.
- Tumors of the pituitary gland. They are characterized by slow growth, most often benign, except for adenocarcinoma.
- Tumours of hematopoietic tissue.
- Metastatic neoplasms: carcinoma, chordoma.
- There are tumors of mixed nature.
The prognosis for recovery and the choice of treatment tactics will depend on the type of tumor.
Symptoms and stages of brain cancer
The disease proceeds, changing several stages. How to recognize brain cancer, the symptoms are constantly changing depending on the stage of development of the pathology. They become most pronounced in the last stages of the development of the disease. There are the following stages of brain cancer:
- First. It is considered less dangerous, since the number of cancer cells is small. If signs of oncology are present at this stage, then surgical removal gives good results. But most often the disease is not detected at this stage, as a slight dizziness, headaches are attributed to other problems.
- The second degree is characterized by the growth of the tumor, which begins to take root in other brain tissues. If the surgical removal of the neoplasm is performed, then the outcome is most often favorable. Symptoms of brain cancerthis stage is triggered by low blood pressure.
- The third degree is manifested by the accelerated growth of cancer cells. They start to crowd out the he althy ones. Even the operation will not give good results, it is no longer possible to cure the pathology. Drug therapy only alleviates the patient's condition.
- The fourth degree is characterized by large-scale growth of the tumor. It is no longer possible to save a person.
You can save a person's life if brain cancer is detected at an early stage of development, otherwise it remains only with the help of drugs to maintain a normal existence.
Signs of early cancer
The initial symptoms of brain cancer are almost the same, regardless of the type of pathology. A person most often does not even suspect that unpleasant manifestations are the first alarming bells of oncology.
The first symptoms of brain cancer in women are:
- Headaches. This symptom is not uncommon for a modern person, but in the case of cancer, they are more likely to bother after waking up, and then disappear. Often a headache occurs after a change in body position.
- Headache may cause vomiting, double vision, weakness.
- Dizziness. With the development of brain cancer, such symptoms in women can be observed for no reason. Usually, frequent dizziness is observed if the cancerous tumor is located near the cerebellum.
- Dramatic weight loss is another symptom of adult brain cancer. The tumor is very debilitatingthe body, as cancer cells affect he althy ones and disrupt the course of all metabolic processes.
- Increased body temperature. It always occurs, as this is a normal reaction of the immune system to the invasion of malignant cells. The body is trying with all its might to fight them.
- Severe fatigue. Even a small load provokes rapid fatigue. This can be explained by the fact that cancer cells secrete metabolic products that poison the entire body. If the vascular system is affected, then anemia develops.
- The first symptom of brain cancer is vomiting, especially in the morning. As the pathology progresses, it is observed at any time, even in the middle of the night.
If you do not pay attention to unpleasant symptoms and do not visit a doctor for consultation and examination, then the cancerous tumor progresses and causes more serious manifestations.
Focal symptoms of cancer
All symptoms can be divided into cerebral and focal. The first shows its signs regardless of the location of the tumor, which cannot be said about the second type.
Focal manifestations will depend on which part of the brain is affected by a cancerous tumor, for which it is responsible: for speech, memory, thinking.
Among the focal symptoms of brain cancer at an early stage, you can observe:
- Complete or partial loss of mobility of some parts of the body.
- Loss or loss of sensation in limbs.
- External factors are distorted.
- Change of character. A calm person suddenly becomesirritable, short-tempered, or the patient ceases to care about what used to interest.
- Impulsive behavior.
- Loss control of bladder emptying.
Gradually, the first symptoms of brain cancer in women or men are replaced by more serious signs, as the tumor grows and declares itself louder and louder. In later stages observed:
- If the tumor presses on the optic nerve, then first there are "flies" in the eyes, and then loss of vision due to the death of the optic nerve. It is almost impossible to recover such a complication.
- A symptom of brain cancer with pressure on the auditory nerve is hearing loss.
- Epileptic seizures often appear in the second and third stages. It is dangerous to leave them without attention, it is urgent to see a doctor.
- With the development of adenomatous neoplasms, hormonal disorders are observed. In women, the symptoms of brain cancer at the same time resemble any manifestations of hormonal failure.
- The development of a tumor in the brain stem leads to a violation of the process of swallowing, breathing, smell, taste are disturbed.
- A neoplasm in the temporal zone often provokes hallucinations. This symptom of brain cancer is well demonstrated in the photo.
- A tumor in the back of the head disrupts color perception.
With the progression of the tumor and the formation of metastases, the symptoms of brain cancer are aggravated, several manifestations are observed simultaneously, the human conditiondeteriorates sharply. Without medical care, the patient will not live long.
How to recognize brain cancer in children
Symptoms of brain cancer in infants in the early stages are practically not manifested. This can be explained by the fact that the bones of the skull are soft, and the fontanel is not closed. The tumor does not exert strong pressure on the brain tissue. Up to three years, cancer can be suspected by the following signs:
- The head grows in size.
- The fontanel does not overgrow.
- Veins are clearly visible on the forehead.
According to reviews, the symptoms of brain cancer in children first appear cerebral, which are associated with an increase in intracranial pressure, a violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, swelling of the brain.
Given the characteristics of physiology and age, in children, edema spreads faster and has an extensive character. Symptoms include:
- Emotional disorders are the first thing parents notice. The child is naughty, cries a lot, becomes lethargic and uncommunicative. At the same time, there are malfunctions in the cardiovascular system and digestive system.
- One of the main symptoms of early-stage brain cancer is vomiting and headache, which occur most often in the morning. The child may complain that the pain increases with a change in body position, while coughing or sneezing. With the progression of the tumor, headache accompanies constantly.
- Epileptic seizures. Sometimes this symptom is the only sign of brain cancer.
- In young children, one of the symptoms may bebe a discrepancy between the bones of the skull.
Given the peculiarities of the structure of the skull in children, cerebral symptoms are not typical until the age of five.
Focal manifestations, which are caused by ischemia against the background of vascular compression, can differ significantly in small patients.
Features of manifestations depending on the location of the tumor
Symptoms of brain cancer in men, women and children may vary depending on the location of the malignancy:
- Cancerous tumor in the cerebellum. When a neoplasm appears in this area, the patient complains of headaches in the back of the head, in which there may be vomiting. They appear suddenly, intensifying with sudden movements. There may be loss of consciousness, increased pressure and heart rhythm disturbances. Symptoms increase rapidly, coordination of movements is disturbed, muscle tone decreases, involuntary movements of the eyeballs may be observed.
- If the tumor develops in the trunk, then the first manifestations are a violation of the clarity of vision, hearing acuity and paralysis of the limbs.
- A neoplasm in the frontal lobe provokes changes in behavior. When it comes to children, they become uncontrollable, attention and memory decrease. Adults develop paresis of mimic muscles.
- Epileptic seizures and movement disorders are observed if the tumor is located in the central gyrus.
- A neoplasm in the temporal zone causes seizures and severeheadaches.
- A cancer in the parietal zone may not manifest itself for a long time. In adults, the first symptom is sensory disturbance.
- Visual centers are located in the occipital region, so the tumor in this place causes visual disturbances, up to hallucinations.
- A tumor near the pituitary causes endocrine disruption.
If any suspicious symptoms appear that begin to bother you with enviable regularity, you should not delay a visit to the doctor.
Diagnosis of disease
How to detect brain cancer? Symptoms often resemble other diseases. To exclude or confirm oncology, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Diagnosis of pathology is as follows:
- First of all, the specialist examines the patient and conducts a conversation with him, during which he finds out the time of onset of symptoms, their severity, and features. Also, the doctor, using special techniques, determines motor disorders, tactile, problems with coordination. Tendon reflexes are checked.
- The patient is being sent for an MRI. The procedure is carried out with a contrast agent in order to most accurately recognize not only a cancerous neoplasm, but also its localization and size.
- The puncture is carried out to detect cancer cells, to study the degree of change in brain tissues. If the tumor is located in a hard-to-reach place, then the puncture is problematic.
- X-ray shows the location of the tumor.
- Craniography makes it possible to detect changes inin the bones of the skull in the form of a layer of calcium, which is caused by a malignant process.
- Magnetoencephalography shows abnormal brain function.
After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor chooses the treatment tactics, which also depends on the malignancy of the neoplasm.
Tumor grade
Not every cancer poses a serious threat to a patient's life. It all depends on her aggressiveness. Highlight:
- Tumours by malignancy grade 1 and 2. Such neoplasms are not so aggressive and differ little from benign ones. Treatment often involves surgical removal, followed by radiation after surgery, resulting in a good prognosis.
- Neoplasms of the 3rd and 4th degree of aggressiveness are dangerous because they can give metastases, are more difficult to treat, relapses are frequent.
If the tumor gives metastases, then for formations in the brain their spread within the cranium is characteristic. As a rule, they do not go to the internal organs, which cannot be said about cancer of other systems, when cancer cells are able to reach the brain.
Prognosis for brain cancer patient
The answer to the question of whether brain cancer can be cured depends on many factors, including what symptoms of brain cancer are present at the time of visiting a doctor. The sooner the patient visits a specialist and tells him about the manifestations that have appeared, the greater the chances of successful treatment.
According to statistics, if the operationalThe intervention was carried out on tumors of stage 1-2 of development, then the percentage of survivors over the next five years is from 60 to 80%. But such a prognosis can no longer be guaranteed if the cancer is diagnosed at a later stage. As a rule, the cells managed to spread to other parts of the brain, so even an operation does not give a good result. The percentage of survivors is almost halved.
The prognosis for recovery is also affected by the size of the neoplasm, its location, aggressiveness.
If the patient managed to survive, then brain cancer often gives the following complications:
- Speech impairment.
- Memory loss.
- Recognition is lost.
- Patients lose all or part of their ability to read and write.
- Paralysis of limbs develops.
If certain areas are damaged, a person may become blind or deaf.
Treatment for brain cancer
Therapy of cancer pathologies is usually done by oncologists, but the help of other specialists is also required. When it comes to brain cancer, a radiologist and a neurosurgeon, an internist and a neuropathologist, an oncologist and a rehabilitation specialist interact with each other.
Treatment tactics depend on several factors:
- Age of the patient.
- Localization of the tumor.
- Its measurements.
- Stage of disease.
- Aggressiveness of neoplasm.
- The general he alth of the patient.
To get rid of a tumor in the brain, use:
- Surgery. Maximum efficiency is achievedat the 1-2 stages of the disease, it makes no sense at the subsequent stages.
- Radiotherapy. Carried out if the operation is not possible or after surgery. The radiation dose is always selected for each patient individually. A point effect is carried out in order to affect he althy neighboring tissues as little as possible.
- Radiotherapy.
- Chemotherapy. It is least often used in the treatment of brain cancer, given the negative impact on the entire body and especially on the blood-forming organs and the immune system.
Brain surgery is dangerous and traumatic, but most often only it can save the patient's life, of course, if he came to the doctor at an early stage of cancer. Possible complications of surgery include:
- Swelling of brain tissues.
- Damage to brain structures.
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Fat.
Modern equipment and techniques for performing operations can significantly reduce the risk, but it is important to find an excellent neurosurgeon who has many years of experience in performing such operations.
Even after removal of the tumor, there is a possibility of recurrence and the appearance of a tumor in another part of the brain.
Alternative cancer treatments
Every year the development of medicine is moving forward, and there are more and more new ways, methods of dealing with various diseases. Neurosurgeons are not far behind and are looking for new methods of intervention that will remove a tumor in the brain without disrupting functions.
The Japanese are ahead of everyone here. For more than 10 years, atomic hydrogen has been tested in order to create a medical device capable of fighting oncology. Through experiments, it was proved that atomic hydrogen is capable of destroying cancer cells and metastases, but it acts much more slowly. But when the operation is not possible, then this method is an excellent alternative.
Studies have confirmed that several months of regular treatments lead to a significant reduction in the size of the tumor, up to its disappearance. This was confirmed by x-rays and MRI.
Oncology is no longer a sentence. Brain cancer, of course, is a serious pathology, but with timely detection and high-quality therapy, patients have a chance to return to a normal lifestyle. Do not dismiss unpleasant symptoms, when they appear, do not be too lazy to visit a doctor, so that later you do not bite your elbows, scolding yourself for a frivolous attitude towards your he alth.
