Brain Tumour Day

 

Most people are insecure about the brain tumour and its diagnosis. One should be educated so that empowering them to give scope for gathering information related to Brain tumours is essential. One should not forget that no question is trivial hence coordination with the experts is mandatory to get complete details about it. 

Check out the space below to get complete details about the Brain Tumour and get empower yourself to tackle it and lead a productive life.

Every year June 8th is celebrated as the World Brain Tumour Day which was commenced in the year 2000, by the Brain Tumour Association of Germany origin.  The motto is to create awareness about it to people worldwide and procedures on how to overcome them. Every year nearly 500+ new cases are diagnosed with it on daily basis. Hence, public awareness should be raised so that people get educated about brain tumours.

What is Brain Tumour?

The Brain Tumour is a growth of cells, in the brain which multiplies in an abnormal and uncontrollable way. It is a type of central nervous system (CNS) tumour that is associated with the young and middle-aged individual’s morbidity and mortality.  Approximately 2% of all malignancies are related to CNS tumours.

India noted the incidence of these tumours from 5 to 10 when observed 100,000 populations. The latest classification of the World Health Organization (WHO) the CNS tumours, brain cancers are classified into grades.  

The brain tumour is graded into 4 high grades.

·         Grade 1

The tumour grows slowly and non-malignant in nature, patients with this type of tumour survive mostly for long period.

 

·         Grade 2

Cancerous cells grow at a slow pace, which may recur as high-grade tumours which can be non-malignant or malignant in nature.

·         Grade 3

The tumour grows aggressive which tends to recur as a high-grade tumour over time. 

·         Grade 4

In this stage, cancerous cells spread quickly and rapidly reproduce which can be aggressive in nature with the spread at high risk to the other organs and nearby areas. 

Types of brain tumours:

There are 2 major brain tumours

Non-Cancerous (Benign) Brain Tumours:

Grade 1 and Grade 2, falls under the Non-Cancerous brain tumour which grows slowly and responds less likely to come back after the treatment of it.

Cancerous (Malignant) Brain Tumours:

The malignant brain tumours are Grade 3 and Grade 4 which start as Primary Tumours in the Brain or spread into brains which are secondary tumours that are likely to be grown back after treatment too.

Symptoms of Brain Tumour:

·         Difficulty in hearing or hearing loss

·         A headache

·         Nausea and vomiting, especially in the morning

·         Changes in vision

·         Weakness in the muscles, arms and legs

·         Slurred speech or Difficulty in speaking

·         Confusion

·         Postural imbalance

·         Seizures

Facts about Brain Tumour:

·         The symptoms of it depend on size, type, and location which can occur at any age.

·         Astrocytoma, meningioma and oligodendroglia are the most common symptoms seen in the primary brain tumour among adults.

·    Medulloblastoma, grade I or II astrocytoma, (or glioma) ependymoma and brain stem glioma are the common symptoms to be noticed in children during primary brain tumours.

·         Check out the family history of the individual whether it can be the reason for Brain Tumour. If it is noticed check slight symptoms or doubt on an immediate basis.

·         A high dose of X-rays might lead to brain tumours too.

·         Surgery, Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, or a combination of treatments might be one of the reasons for brain tumours.

Brain Tumour Diagnosis:

Diagnosing brain tumours will be done by the doctor with the questionnaire such as family health history, overall health followed by neurological and physical exam. Soon after finding the suspect, a brain tumour following tests should be performed.

·         CT scan

·         MRI

·         Angiogram

·         MRA

·         Biopsy

Detailed images of the brain can be done by CT scan or MRI. Signs of a brain tumour or any abnormal blood vessels can be done with the use of dye in an Angiogram or MRA. A Biopsy is done with the tissue sample from the brain of the affected person for biopsy followed by the surgery for the removal of the brain tumour. Insertion of needle into the skull through a small hole drilled for sending the sample for testing to the laboratory.   

Ways to treat brain tumours:

The method of treatment for it is listed in the space below:

·         Check for the type of tumour

·         Location of tumour in your brain

·         Size and spread of tumour

·         Checklist for the abnormality of the cells

·         Overall health and fitness of the individual

·         Potential complications

Brain Tumour Treatment includes:

·         Steroids

·         Proper medication soon after identifying the symptoms

·         Surgery

·         Radiotherapy

·         Chemotherapy

Suggestions:

·         One should note that steroids may be prescribed to the individuals to reduce swelling around the tumour of the individual.

·         Anti-epileptic medicines for seizures and painkillers for headaches are the other medicines that can be used to support other symptoms of brain tumours.   

·         Removal of most of the abnormal tissue is the motto of surgery towards it with safety precautions.

·         Radiotherapy or Chemotherapy is done safely by treating abnormal cells which are left behind.

·         Soon after the treatment for non-cancerous tumours, it is often successful and also supports the recovery of the individual as soon as possible.

·         Regular follow-up of appointments is advised as sometimes there's a chance for the return of tumour.

Myths about the brain tumour:

Most people have a myth that the usage of cell phones might cause brain tumours. But the fact is that occurrence of it with the usage of cell phones has been denied by most of the studies and researches.

Does all brain tumours are the same? It is to be noted that there are 120 types of brain tumours and they are entirely different too.

Will brain tumours reoccur after completion of treatment? Yes, it can reoccur hence post-treatment follow-ups are necessary too. It supports the identification of brain tumours if any after completion of treatment.

Conclusion:

One who is experiencing these symptoms or any of these symptoms is advised to consult the doctor as it would be easy to diagnose in the early stages to avoid worse conditions. World Brain Tumour Day is celebrated on June 08th every year to raise awareness towards it and educate the public to be healthy.  

Stay fit, and stay updated too!