A brain tumor

Brain cancer is the general name for malignant brain tumors that differ in the degree of malignancy, prevalence in different age groups, histological features and progression. A brain tumor can be primary or secondary (metastatic), and the second form is much more common.

Varieties

Gliomas are the most common primary tumors. They are single, and their size ranges from the size of a grain to an apple.

According to histological features, astrocytomas, glioblastomas and oligodendrogliomas are distinguished. At the same time, glioblastoma is considered a very aggressive form and is more difficult to treat. It is characterized by the proliferation (growth) of the endothelium of vessels and the extensive formation of new vessels that feed it. Moreover, the amount of newly formed vascular network is closely related to the degree of malignancy and, accordingly, affects the prognosis of this disease.

The network of newly formed vessels is functionally defective, and this leads to swelling of the surrounding tissues, which reduces the delivery of oxygen and necessary drugs during treatment. Access to the center of the neoplasm is often difficult or impossible at all, which reduces the possibility of effective therapy. Low-grade, slow-growing tumors rarely metastasize.

Causes of brain cancer

The exact causes of brain tumors have not been established. Gliomas arise from proliferating cells that become malignant, which is manifested by disturbances in various genes.

Provocative factors are of some importance:

• action of ionizing radiation;
• use of mobile phones;
• long stay in the zone of electromagnetic radiation.

The risk of many neoplasms increases with age, which is associated with a decrease in immune protection.

Stages of brain cancer:

• I degree – benign gliomas that grow slowly and have no signs of malignancy.
• II degree – neoplasms also grow slowly, but have one sign of malignancy (cellular atypia). Example – diffuse astrocytomas.
• III degree – malignant gliomas (oligoastrocytoma, anaplastic astrocytoma).
• IV degree – fast-growing gliomas with 3-4 signs of malignancy (glioblastoma multiforme).

Brain cancer: symptoms

Manifestations of the disease depend on the location of the neoplasm and the stage at which the process is located. Usually it is:

• headache;
• nausea and vomiting;
• epileptic attacks;
• deterioration of memory;
• disturbance of balance;
• occurrence of dizziness;
• wobbliness when walking;
• complication of speech;
• disorder of sensitivity or paralysis of a part of the body;
• deterioration of vision;
• change in behavior.

Symptoms of brain cancer increase as the tumor progresses, new ones appear. If you notice changes in your health or the appearance of unusual symptoms, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible and undergo an appropriate diagnostic examination.

Diagnosis of brain cancer

Diagnosis of brain neoplasms includes:

• neurological examination (checking the state of reflexes, determining the motor functions of the limbs, skin sensitivity);
• special research methods (CT, MRI, ultrasound of the brain).

Preference is given to MRI, which allows you to detect the presence of a tumor by imaging areas of the brain in three dimensions. This method provides information about the exact location of the tumor. This is especially important if it is located close to vital brain structures.

MRI uses a contrast agent that detects neoplasms less than 2 mm in size. A more accurate diagnosis of a brain tumor for making a final diagnosis is achieved by examining the tissue that was obtained during the biopsy.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to improve the patient's quality of life and reduce various disorders of the central nervous system. Most of the tumors cannot be cured by a single surgical method, so combined treatment is used.

The main methods are: surgical removal and radiation therapy with tissue involvement of more than 3 cm. It is the last method that significantly prolongs the patient's life. Radiation therapy can be used before and after surgery. In the first case, it reduces the size of the tumor, and in the second case, it destroys the remaining tumor cells.

When the neoplasm has a hard-to-reach localization, which makes its excision impossible, radiation therapy is used as an independent method. In this case, it does not completely destroy the brain tumor, but stops its growth.

Radiosurgery (gamma knife and cyber knife) is an innovative technique that is a type of radiation therapy. In this case, the radiation beam falls directly on the tumor, which becomes possible under CT or MRI control. An important point of this method is its non-invasiveness, which reduces the risk of complications.

Another method of treatment is chemoradiotherapy (radiation and chemotherapy at the same time) after surgery. This method is more effective in achieving recurrence-free survival.

Despite complex treatment, almost all gliomas have a tendency to relapse. Only some patients are offered to undergo surgery and radiation therapy again. Chemotherapy in this case is not very effective.

Recently, in severe cases of relapse, drugs are used that suppress the formation of new vessels, reduce the vascularization of the tumor and prevent its growth. With their use in glioblastomas, long-term survival of patients in whom standard chemotherapy was ineffective is achieved.

Surgeons at the University of California began to treat recurrent cancer with a virus obtained by genetic engineering. It destroys only tumor cells.

Prognosis and survival

Brain cancer is quite a serious problem. The prognosis depends on the stage of the disease, so the earlier it is diagnosed, the greater the chances of a positive result. Possible forecasts:

• at the first stage, when the neoplasm is non-malignant in nature, diagnosed in time and develops slowly, treatment allows to give the most optimistic prognosis;
• at the second stage of the disease, when neurological symptoms appear, the prognosis is not so favorable;
• when diagnosing the third and fourth stages, especially in cases where the tumor grows rapidly and is no longer amenable to surgical treatment, life expectancy is significantly reduced.

Of all types of tumors, astrocytoma has a more benign course and, accordingly, a favorable prognosis. But it depends on age and correctly performed radical surgery. An optimistic forecast of 5-year survival under favorable conditions is 80%. Sometimes astrocytoma turns into a tumor with malignant growth, which requires additional types of treatment. Therefore, when establishing a diagnosis of astrocytoma, it is necessary to be under the control of an oncologist.

Prevention

Adherence to proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can be considered as prevention of this disease. These are, first of all:

• enough healthy sleep, which helps restore the brain;
• full-value rest;
• avoidance of stressful situations;
• rejection of energy cocktails, alcohol, tonics and coffee in excessive quantities;
• exclusion from the diet of smoked meats, sausages and other processed meat products;
• consumption of natural products, vegetables, fruits, berries and nuts;
• minimizing the use of a mobile phone.

It is known that brain tumors are more common among people 50-60 years old, because genetic risk factors are formed during the aging process. Therefore, this category of people needs to monitor their health most carefully.