What do you think about a brain tumour? It’s not only a health condition—a life-threatening and serious illness related to your brain, the central command section of your body. Brain tumours affect brain function along with the whole neurological system of your body, can cause complications in your well-being, and can affect your normal living. Understanding its early detection and observing the symptoms of a brain tumour is vital. 

This is one of the leading causes of death worldwide for adults and children. It may be cancerous or not, but brain tumours can affect your brain by creating pressure on your brain tissues and cells, and can cause various health complications.

Clinical significance of a brain tumour:

If you have examined any abnormal growth of masses in your brain, this is known as a brain tumour. It is one of the most common types of malignancy in children and adults globally. Early detection, along with consulting with a neurosurgeon, is essential for early-stage treatment of a brain tumour. It affects your central nervous system (CNS). Tumours may grow into your brain and, in some cases, spread through other organs and tissues.

If the tumour starts to grow in your brain, it is known as a primary brain tumour. In other cases, if the tumour spreads to the brain from different parts of your body, those are called secondary brain tumour (metastatic brain tumour). 

Cancerous tumours may rapidly spread throughout different organs within a very short time, whereas a benign tumour, which is known as a non-cancerous tumour, grows slowly.

• Primary brain tumour: originates in the brain.
• Secondary (metastatic) brain tumour: spreads to the brain from another part of the body.

Cancerous tumours tend to spread rapidly, whereas benign tumours generally grow more slowly.

Types of brain tumours:

Brain tumours can be classified into two main types: cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign). 

Healthcare researchers have explored more than 130 types of brain tumours depending on the location, type, and significance. Though many types of brain tumour can also develop in your spinal cord.

Types of non-cancerous brain tumours (benign tumours):

Craniopharyngioma: These types of tumour can be found near the pituitary gland and consist of solid cysts. It often exerts pressure on surrounding nerves, blood vessels, or brain areas near the pituitary and is critical for surgery as it develops in the deep recesses of the brain near the pituitary gland.

Meningioma: These are common types of brain tumour that can be diagnosed frequently. It develops in the meninges portion of the brain, just under your skull, and it is mostly non-cancerous. 

Schwannomas: Acoustic neuromas, also known as vestibular schwannomas, are common benign brain tumours that arise from Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, particularly on the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain. These slow-growing tumours are the most frequent type of schwannoma and typically occur in middle-aged adults.

Pituitary Adenoma: These types of tumour can form near your pituitary gland, which produces and controls hormones. These tumours can develop slowly, and 10% of brain tumours can be diagnosed with Adenomas.

Chordomas: Chordomas can be diagnosed as a rare cancerous tumour that develops in the base of your skull or spine, and it is a type of sarcoma.

Pineocytomas: These tumour starts to develop in your pineal gland, which helps in producing melatonin hormones. It’s a slow-growing tumour and mostly benign.

Giant Cell Tumour: These giant cell tumours are recognised as rare bone tumours and can be found commonly in the skull of your brain. These tumours are large in size, mostly non-cancerous, and commonly seen in people between 20 to 40 years of age.

Apart from these, researchers also examined other types of benign brain tumours, which require urgent medical approaches with different medical prognoses. 

Subtypes of malignant (cancerous) brain tumours:

Primary brain tumours originate within your brain tissues and are classified according to their types and the locations from which they arise. Gliomas are the common brain tumour that starts to develop in the glial tissues, and 70% of them are cancerous. Gliomas have several subtypes according to their locations:

• Astrocytomas:

Astrocytomas originate from small, star-like cells known as astrocytes and can develop anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. In adults, they are most commonly found in the cerebrum, while in children, they typically occur in the brainstem, cerebrum, and cerebellum. A grade III astrocytoma is sometimes referred to as anaplastic astrocytoma, while a grade IV is often called glioblastoma multiforme.

• Oligodendrogliomas:

Oligodendrogliomas arise from the cells responsible for producing myelin, the fatty substance that insulates nerves. These tumours typically form in the cerebrum, grow slowly, and generally do not invade surrounding brain tissue.

• Ependymomas:

Ependymomas usually develop in the lining of the brain’s ventricles and can also occur in the spinal cord. While they can affect individuals of any age, these tumours are most commonly found in children and adolescents.

What are the early signs of a brain tumour:

Recognising the symptoms of a brain tumour, your first and foremost activity would be consulting with doctors and asking for urgent medical help. But the symptoms may be different, along with their types, sizes, and how much it has spread to your brain. Some common symptoms include,

• Dizziness
• Nausea & vomiting
• Trouble concentrating on one matter
• Difficulty in thinking, judging, and making decisions
• Frequent headache
• Lack of proper understanding of any issues
• Vision and hearing problems
• Frequent weaknesses
• Imbalance in your body
• Trouble in speaking or slurred speech

Experiencing the symptoms makes your condition more severe, and you need to consult with your medical professionals urgent basis and find the treatment plans for overcoming these conditions.

Causes of brain tumours:

Brain tumours form in your brain and spinal cord or any other parts of your body, they can be both chances of malignant and benign.

For decades, several studies have been done, and there is no exact cause for generating brain tumours. Certain genetic changes and malfunctions in the cell’s chromosomes can contribute in originating abnormal mass growth in the brain.

Brain tumours develop when the DNA of cells in or around the brain changes. DNA contains the instructions that guide a cell’s behaviour. These alterations cause the cells to multiply rapidly and survive longer than normal, bypassing the natural process where healthy cells would die. 

As a result, an excess of cells accumulates in the brain, forming a mass known as a tumour. This tumour can expand, causing damage to and replacing healthy tissue.

There is no single known cause of brain tumours. However, several factors may contribute:

• Genetic mutations affecting cell growth
• Family history of brain tumours
• Inherited genetic syndromes
• Previous radiation exposure (especially to the head)
• History of other cancers (e.g., lung, breast, melanoma)
• Weakened immune system

Stress and anxiety do not cause brain tumours, although they can affect mental health.

How to diagnose a brain tumour?

It’s essential to detect a brain tumour at the early stage, and follow the further process of diagnosis as recommended by your medical professionals. Assessing the medical history, specialised screenings or tests, and physical examinations, your doctor helps you with the next treatment processes.

Brain health and nervous system checkups can be done with some neurological exams, tests, and screenings.

MRI, CT Scan, and other imaging tests can be performed to obtain a clear picture of your brain and total neurological system. 

In some cases, a biopsy may be recommended to confirm the presence of malignancy in a brain tumour.

A Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan may also be suggested for detecting the tumour in the brain.

How to detect a brain tumour in the early stage?

Detecting a brain tumour at an early stage is crucial, because having suffered for a long time with the following symptoms requires urgent diagnosis. Your medical consultant will recommend you for clinical diagnosis, like MRI, screening, imaging tests, and other tests, which help in confirming the stage, size, location, and current situation of the tumour.

How to manage stress to prevent the risks of brain tumours?

Is it really possible to develop a brain tumour due to stress? Though there is no valid clinical significance to the link between stress and brain tumour. Chronic stress does not cause any cellular changes or abnormal cell changes in your brain. Anxiety and stress can impact your mental health, but it does not cause any brain cell development or tumour generation.

Can brain tumours be prevented?

Brain tumour is not always preventable, as the exact cause remains unexplored. But you can take some precautionary steps to reduce its impacts, such as avoiding excessive radiation exposure, managing a healthy lifestyle, avoiding toxic components, regular health checkups, and staying informed about your health queries. By checking the symptoms and potential causes, keep your health checkups with early disease detection and follow any unusual circumstances.

What are the treatments for a brain tumour?

If anyone has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, treatment options must be decided after diagnosing its stages and conditions. Depending on the conditions, surgery (craniotomy), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy must be suggested for curing or improving the condition.

How to prevent a brain tumour naturally?

Brain tumour is a challenging health condition that affects people globally, with a death condition if not treated in time. Some alternative treatment options are available for cancer patients, mostly brain tumour patients, including,

Healthy diet practices: Require proper vitamins and protein in the body while having treatment like medications, therapies, or any medical procedures. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help protect cells from damage that may contribute to tumour growth.

Focus on:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those high in vitamins A, C, and E. 
• Whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins. 
• Healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. 

Regular Exercise: To boost your immune system and maintain a fit body, follow regular exercises along with yoga, meditation that heal your physical ability along with mental health.

Avoiding Toxins: Limit exposure to environmental toxins, such as:

• Carcinogenic chemicals are found in cigarettes and tobacco smoke. 
• Pesticides and herbicides are used in farming (choose organic produce where possible). 
• Excessive use of electronics or prolonged exposure to EMF radiation (though research is still ongoing).
  

Stress Management: Chronic stress may negatively affect your immune system, so practices like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, or spending time outdoors can help reduce stress and promote overall well-being.

Enough Sleep: Sleep plays a critical role in immune function and cell repair. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Regular Checkups: Keep up with health screenings, including brain health assessments, if you have any concerning symptoms or a family history of cancer. Early detection can help prevent brain tumour risks.

Conclusion:

Concentrating on a healthy lifestyle, regular health checkups, and follow-ups helps in reducing your brain tumour spread and improves your immunity to combat with treatment processes. Nirnayan Healthcare delivers accurate cancer screening tests, imaging tests, and biopsies with advanced diagnosis methods and early access to brain tumour detection. Don’t delay consulting with your medical professionals if any symptoms of a brain tumour occur.