Understanding Brain Tumor by Dr Winnie Lim Khoo, Neurologist in manila
According to the National Brain Tumor Society, Brain tumor is defined as an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain or central spine that can disrupt proper brain function. Brain tumours are graded according to how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back after treatment. Grade one and two tumours are low grade, and grade three and four tumours are high grade. There are two main types of brain tumour:
- Non-Cancerous (Benign) Brain Tumor — are low grade (grade one or two), which means they grow slowly and are less likely to return after treatment
- Cancerous (Malignant) Brain Tumor — are high grade (grade three or four) and either start in the brain (primary tumours) or spread into the brain from elsewhere (secondary tumours); they’re more likely to grow back after treatment
There are over 120 types of brain and central nervous system tumors. Brain and spinal cord tumors are different for everyone. They form in different areas, develop from different cell types, and may have different treatment options.
The symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on the exact part of the brain affected. Common symptoms include:
- persistent headache
- seizures
- persistent nausea, vomiting and drowsiness
- mental or behavioural changes
- memory problems
- progressive weakness on one side of the body
- vision or speech problems
Sometimes you may not have any symptoms to begin with or they may only develop very slowly over time. Diagnosing a brain tumor can be a complicated process and involve a number of specialists, depending on where you live or where you seek medical attention. A brain scan, most often an MRI, is the first step. A biopsy may be necessary.
