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Benign brain tumor

Before a diagnosis of benign brain tumour, the patient undergoes a neurological examination, carried out a study of vision with the indispensable examination of the fundus. As the blood vessels that supply the organ with blood, we can talk about intracranial pressure. Also checked the vestibular (balance) function, smell, hearing, taste and so on.

To install a more accurate diagnosis frequently used functional methods:

  • the method of electroencephalography, which reveals General and local modification of the brain,
  • the x-ray method that allows you to do a skull x-ray, CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which detect the nature and location of the tumor,
  • the method of laboratory tests of the cerebrospinal fluid. Basically, this method gives a proof of the nature of the tumor. In the case of suspected brain tumor, predominantly, be meticulous neurological examination of the patient.

What are the causes of brain tumor?

devushkaInstalled today the only reason this tumor is radiation. Before the children suffering from ringworm of the scalp affected by fungal infection, often used for radiation therapy in small doses. Further, this has led to a high risk for the occurrence of tumors.

In modern times the disease is often caused by irradiation of the head in cases of different types of malignant tumors. It is believed that the causes of disease development can be:

1. the effect of vinyl chloride is a colorless gas, which is used in the manufacture of plastic products,

2. aspartame is a sugar substitute

3. electromagnetic field of mobile telephone and high-voltage transmission lines.

The nature and types of benign brain tumors

Benign brain tumor does not go beyond the boundaries of the brain tissue and has not spread to other organs. It is characterized by slow growth, and its symptoms depend on where is localized the tumor itself.

The brain tumor originates from brain tissues or other tissues, for example, veins, arteries or nerves. It can be of several types, but most often are noted:

  • meningioma is a common brain tumor (20% of all episodes of brain tumors). She Matures from the tissues of the spinal cord and the Dura of the brain;
  • pituitary tumors are characterized by the fact that produce pituitary hormones. They occur in one out of a thousand, and 15% of all such tumors;
  • acoustic schwannoma tumor of Schwann cells, covering the entire structure of the nervous system, especially the spinal and cranial nerves. Occurs in approximately 9% of cases;
  • hemangioblastoma is a tumor originating from vascular tissue, sometimes has the form of a cyst. It is found in 2% of cases;
  • craniopharyngioma is characterized as a tumor-like cystic formation, formed from embryonic cell pituitary stroke. Common in children, up to 4 % of all primary tumors inside the skull;
  • chorioidea plexus papilloma a rare brain tumor (1%). It usually occurs in children under 3 years. It is characterized by one feature violation of the spinal circulation of CSF. For this reason, symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, you may experience lethargy, nausea, reduced activity. Since the tumor has started only recently, especially to study, so there is little information on treatment and prognosis;

Dermoid and epidermoid cysts can also be noted among the other rare brain tumors of the head, they are born fromepithelial cells. At the same time, they can not be called tumors in the truest sense of the word, however, they can manifest themselves as benign tumors, compressing all the structures of the brain.

Symptoms the appearance of benign brain tumor

Initially benign brain tumors do not present themselves very clearly and suspicion cause in terms of cancer to as long as they do not become larger in size, followed by squeezing certain parts of the brain. In the case of benign brain tumors can appear alone, and some of the symptoms. They themselves are not specific, as noted in other diseases. For example, can be:

  • of hearing, sight, smell;
  • impaired balance and coordination;
  • violation of the mental qualities (attention, concentration, memory or speech);
  • the appearance of unexpected seizures;
  • twitching of skeletal muscles;
  • frequent nausea and/or vomiting without any particular reason;
  • facial paralysis (complete or partial);
  • headaches (frequent);
  • numbness of the limbs.

Possible complications and risks of benign brain tumors

The most significant risks from the formation of benign tumors of the following:

  • compression of brain structures can lead to irreversible damage of tissues in case the operation was not conducted in a timely manner;
  • sudden seizures can also cause damage to the tissues;
  • during the operation or after it can cause bleeding in the tumor area.

There is a positive moment in the emergence of such brain tumors – almost all of them operable and therefore safe. However, there are some examples when it was noted their transformation into malignant, then the cancer has spread to surrounding tissue.

Treatment of benign tumors of the brain

snimokIs the only difference in the treatment of benign and malignant brain tumors during the first chemotherapy is not applied. Individual treatment plan of a patient developing doctor and depends on the age of the patient, the localization and spread of the tumor. Moreover the treatment also depends on the overall health of the patient and from the presence of the accompanying diseases.

The main method of treatment of benign brain tumors is a craniotomy, when performed examinations of the skull with subsequent excision of the tumor, then the patient undergoing radiation therapy. Often radiation therapy is prescribed in the traditional form (e-LT), or it is possible to conduct proton therapy, or radiosurgery, is in the form of cyber-knife or gamma knife. The list of drugs in case of drug therapy in the treatment of brain tumors also includes commonly used corticosteroids because they decrease swelling of the brain tissue.

Experts at the proton therapy in the treatment of benign brain tumors

Proton therapy is good because it allows you to apply the required dose directly to the target tumor, destroying it without damaging surrounding tissue. The advantages of this method:

  • the treatment gives much better results than with the use of photon therapy;
  • treatment prevents complications;
  • gives an opportunity at the end of treatment to quickly return to their former way of life.

The use of proton therapy for the treatment of patients with tumors of the brain allows us to reduce to 50 % dose of radiation to the fitted structure of the brain, and thus reduce the risk of damage to hormonal and neurocognitive functions. Also, this method of treatment in 2 times reduces the appearance of secondary tumors, prevents irradiation of the organs of hearing, vision, Central nervous system.

Some facts about the treatment of this disease

Currently incurable benign brain tumor is rare. After the operation, almost 70% of children feel better. There are some cases when children have some consequences, such as difficulty in speech, vision, or decrease in endurance.

About 50% of adults in the age group 20 to 44 years after the surgical treatment of a brain tumor was a good performance 5-year survival. People aged 65 years and older, this figure drops to 5%.

Diagnosed with a benign brain tumor is not difficult for an MRI or CT scan. Data of a brain tumor in clear distinct boundaries of growth, which are installed on an MRI or CT scan. They rarely transform into malignant tumors or metastasize. With regard to benign tumors of the brain, the good news is they can be treated without surgery and typically do not recur.