Faridabad/ Alive News: World Brain Tumor Day is observed on the 8th of June every year with the objective of spreading awareness and educating people about the same. Wtih this assumption, Dr Ashish Gupta, Principal Consultant, Nuerosurgery and Spine, Fortis Escorts Faridabad shared some information about brain tumor. Dr. Ashish Gupta said Brain tumors are fatal leaving majority of the patients to die within 9 to 12 months of the diagnosis. This represents a 3% survival rate. Every year 40,000 to 50,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumors, out of which 20% are children. Dr. Gupta said there are more than 120 different types of brain tumors that exhibit different symptomatology, the nomenclature of which depend upon the area of the brain from which the tumor originates.
Understanding Tumors of the brain
Dr. Gupta said a brain tumor is a mass of abnormal cells in the brain. The skull, which encloses the brain and is very rigid and any growth inside such a restricted space can cause problems.
Symptoms:
Symptoms that arise from a brain tumor depend on the size, type and location of the tumor which include:
· Recurrent headaches (waking up with a severe headache on a regular basis)
· Eye problems
· Seizures
· Personality changes
· Memory loss
· Difficulty in speaking ,comprehension and coordination
· Weakness in limbs
Risk Factors:
· Family History: Brain tumors can be inherited even though it is extremely rare (less than 10% of all cancers are passed on from one generation to another).The genetic makeup of a person can cause a predisposition to cancer
Diagnosis:
Several imaging tests are used to conduct a diagnosis for brain tumors. These include:
· CT Scan
· PET Scan
· Cerebral Angiogram
· MRI
– MRI Spectroscopy
– Perfusion MRI
– Functional MRI
Treatment:
Treatment options and recommendations depend on several factors:
· Size of the tumor
· Grade of the tumor
· Type of tumor
· Location of the tumor and whether it is putting pressure on vital parts of the brain
· The extent of the tumor
· The patient’s preferences
· The patient’s overall health
Surgical Intervention Includes:
· Microsurgery
· Endoscopic surgery
· Image guided surgery
· Intraoperative monitoring
Along with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy can be used as treatment options.
Dr. Gupta said there is no specified known cause for brain tumors. There isn’t even a set age range within which a person can develop a tumor. While a lot of information regarding this condition remains relatively unknown, several strides have been made to treat it effectively with a reduced rate of morbidity and mortality.
