Brain tumour is caused by an abnormal growth of cells in the brain. The other reason could be other types of cancers (metastatic tumours), which are growing in other parts of the body and which had spread to the brain.
Some brain tumours like glioblastomas are the most deadly ones, even leading to death. Some tumours grow slowly and are inoperable. Some of them eventually lead to death. Metastatic tumours that are widely spread in the body are usually fatal.
Children and older adults, women more than men, and people with a past history of exposure to radiation are at a greater risk of developing brain tumours.
Brain tumours that are smaller (grade 1) are easy to operate and are curable. They can be removed surgically. Other brain tumours are not completely curable.
The treatment in case, if it is ready, is usually administered for five days a week for a total of about four to six weeks. In chemotherapy, the treatment is administered in cycles, and each cycle lasts for a few weeks for about two to four cycles.
Signs and symptoms of brain tumour depend on the area of brain affected or the area where tumour is growing. However, in most cases, headaches (can be mild or severe) and seizures can be seen. The other symptoms are muscle weakness, difficulty in coordination, weakness of arms and legs, dizziness, fatigue, numbness, nausea and vomiting, confusion, difficulty in speech and vision troubles.
Brain tumours can be benign or malignant, whereas brain cancer is always malignant. Benign tumours grow very slowly, whereas the malignant ones grow rapidly and spread faster to the other surrounding areas.
Treatment depends on the type, location and size of tumour along with the age of the patient. Some cases involve surgery to remove the tumour followed by radiation therapy, whereas some cases use x-ray or protons rays to eliminate the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy is also performed by administering oral or intravenous medicines to kill the cancerous cells.
Having a healthy balanced diet, eating foods, which are easy to digest, and avoiding oily, fried and sweet foods along with refraining from smoking and alcohol help in the management of brain tumour.
Brain tumours have a very strong chance of relapse because even after surgery, few cancer cells may remain behind. Sometimes, they cannot be completely removed by surgery, thus leaving the chance for tumours to relapse.
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