World Brain Tumor Awareness Day
World Brain Tumor Day is observed on 8 June to raise awareness and educate people about brain tumors and pay tribute to brain tumor patients and their families. It was designated by the Leipzig-based non-profit organization German Brain Tumor Association in 2000.
Like any other tumor in the body, a brain tumor occurs when cells grow at an abnormal rate to form a mass of abnormal cells. These tumors grow over a varying period of time depending upon whether they are benign or malignant (cancer) in nature. The brain is enclosed in the skull, so when excess tumor cells start growing in the brain, the pressure within the closed space of the skull increases and gives rise to symptoms.
Brain tumors are classified as benign or malignant depending upon the growth characteristics of cells. Benign tumors are nearly completely curable and grow at a prolonged rate, whereas malignant tumors grow faster.
Complete removal of malignant tumors is difficult. Malignant tumors are classified into various grades depending upon the invasiveness of the tumor and its potential to multiply. Grade I tumors are slow-growing, and usually, their behavior is like benign tumors. Grad IV is the highest grade (highly malignant) and behaves very aggressively.
Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to cure a grade IV malignant tumor. Malignant tumors of the brain rarely spread to other parts of the body, except on occasion to the spine and spinal cord. A brain tumor can become life-threatening if not diagnosed in time.
Symptoms of a brain tumor
Symptoms of brain tumors vary depending on the type of tumor and its location. The most common signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Recurrent headaches, often with vomiting at a later stage of the disease
- Seizures (fits)
- A problem in vision, hearing, smell, taste
- Paralysis of body parts
- Memory loss or recent behavioral changes
- Imbalance while walking
Diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors
With the advent of CT scans and MRI, diagnosis of brain tumors has become easy, accurate, and non-invasive. Imaging like MR spectroscopy, SPECT, PET, and cerebral blood flow studies give additional information about the nature of these tumors even before heading for surgery for biopsy or removal of these tumors.
If the tumor is diagnosed in the early stages and you begin with the treatment immediately, then there are chances to fight brain tumors with success.
Benign tumors can most often be obliterated. In certain circumstances, if some part of a benign tumor is left behind to preserve vital nerves, second-stage therapy in the form of a gamma knife or cyberknife for the residual tumor could cure the disease.
In malignant tumors, a complete approach to the tumor is three-fold – surgery and radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy depending upon the cancer stage. With advanced radiotherapy machines, this modality is very well tolerated and has very few side effects.
Multidisciplinary tumor board meetings with a Radiation Oncologist, Medical Oncologist, Radiologist, and Pathologist for every patient helps in perfect treatment planning and thus good results.
There are so many ways you can help make a difference in the lives of patients and families today. Visit the official website of the National Brain Tumor Society for various events and to find out how to take action.