Imagine waking up one morning with the worst headache you’ve ever felt, causing you to lose the ability to see. This is what some patients with brain tumors experience. The Tiger Newspaper would like to share some insight on brain tumors with CHS.
What are brain tumors? Brain tumors are abnormal cells that grow in the brain and can also form anywhere in the brain or skull. Over 120 different types of tumors can develop within the brain. Not all of them are cancerous, but they are still dangerous because they could be in a bad location or the size of a tumor. Brain tumors can cause blockages of the fluids in the brain, which could lead to pressure in the skull. Any age group can be a victim of getting diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Causes of brain tumors could be cancer that spreads from another part of the body, exposure to radiation, and genetics. Genetics can only be blamed for less than five percent of tumors. Although some just form, doctors cannot explain why this occurs.
As the brain has four parts that control different functions of the human body, symptoms can vary due to the location of the tumor. The first part of the brain is the frontal lobe, which controls personality, sense of smell, and movement. Symptoms of a brain tumor in the frontal lobe are changes in mood/personality, difficulty concentrating, aggression, sluggishness, loss of smell, and trouble speaking. Secondly, the parietal lobe guides the sense of pain and touch, recognition of objects, and body navigation. Symptoms in the parietal lobe are weakness in one half of the body, difficulty in awareness, judging distances, loss of hand-eye coordination, and trouble in speaking, writing, and reading. The third part of the brain is the temporal lobe which manages memory, speech, hearing, and musical rhythm. Symptoms to watch for are difficulty in hearing or speaking, numbness in the body, memory loss, strange smells or sensations, and seizures. Lastly, the occipital part is responsible for sight and daily activities like reading or recognizing colors. Symptoms in this lobe are loss of vision and difficulty in identifying objects.
There are multiple ways someone can get diagnosed with a brain tumor. One of the most common ways to get diagnosed is a neurological exam, which is an exam that tests the functions of balancing, sight, hearing, and reflexes. Another is imaging techniques, an example of this is a MRI or CAT scan which helps identify the tumor and its location. Lastly, a biopsy is an option only if it can be completed safely. The biopsy sample can be used to figure out how serious the brain tumor is. The scale for brain tumors is one through four, going from less serious to extremely serious. The grade can change from lower to higher without any reasoning.
Treatments for brain tumors are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Radiation and chemotherapy are used to shrink the tumor and prevent it from growing or coming back.
In conclusion, raising awareness of brain tumors is important for increasing your knowledge on the topic, and also supporting those who could be affected by this. There are multiple organizations and charities that help support patients like the American Brain Tumor Association and Brains for the Cure.
