Cancer of the brain. When it happens?

Brain cancer is 4-5% of all lesions of the human body. The majority of malignant brain tumors as well as cancer of the bone marrow, is a secondary tumor, that is, they represent a metastasis of cancer in other organs. Primary tumors arise in the brain itself.

What are the causes of brain cancer?

It is established that the risk factors are:

• Adverse environmental conditions (work with certain chemicals, radiation exposure).
• Genetic predisposition. Often in families where there is cancer in one generation, it will be repeated in the future.
• Belonging to the European race means more risk of any tumors.
• Age. Among patients older the number of cases is much higher. Often ill people over the age of 45 years. Brain cancer in children is quite rare. Usually, medulloblastoma is a tumor originating from the tissues of the cerebellum.

These factors only increase the likelihood of disease, and directly causes brain cancer, as cancer of other organs remains to science is largely a mystery.

What is brain cancer?

Symptoms can be divided two groups:

• Focal,
• Cerebral.

Cerebral signs brain cancer should cause concern and be a reason for seeking medical attention.

Cerebral symptoms

• Nausea and vomiting, not associated with food intake.
• Dizziness.
• Headache, not beyond the effects of anesthetics and cardiovascular drugs.
• Horizontal nystagmus movement of the eyeball from side to side.

Recall that the symptoms characteristic of lesions of the brain. However, the first signs of brain cancer can appear at later stages of the disease. It is this treacherous feature of any cancer, as long-term asymptomatic, and is the cause of late diagnosis, often at a stage when nothing can be done.

Focal symptoms

The name speaks for itself: the symptoms depend on the location of the tumor.

• In the location of tumors in the area of speech will be the leading voice disorder.
• If the tumor is "settled" in the region of the vestibular apparatus, then there will be noise in the ears, unsteadiness of gait, dizziness.
• Can be disorders of vision and hearing, seizures, hallucinations, personality changes.

All these symptoms can indicate various diseases, so they are not always associated with a neoplastic nature. It also affects the timely diagnosis.

Diagnosis and treatment

The final diagnosis usually is in the treatment process. The fact that to carry out histological and cytological study of a fragment of the tumor (which is necessary for the confirmation of cancer can only be after a neurosurgical operation. Therefore, treatment is initiated at an unspecified diagnosis, based on clinical blood tests, the results of magnetic resonance therapy and the patient's complaints.

Treatments are only three:

• Operation
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy.

In most cases these methods are used in combination. For example, after surgery to remove the tumor to prevent recurrence is chemotherapy.

Today, some hospitals have used innovative methods, which are less traumatic and bring good results. Germany used a machine called a Gamma knife, which destroy the tumor without affecting healthy tissue.

Forecast

How I live with brain cancer? All depends on the type and extent of the tumor, age and physical condition of the patient. Younger people are more likely to live longer. Factor fivesurvival (the primary criterion of treatment success) varies from 66% to 5%. In cases of early diagnosis, successful surgery and the subsequent chemo - and radiotherapy, 80% of patients have a chance to cross the threshold of the five-year survival rate.