RGCIRC Team

Brain Cancer

15 May, 2022

There’s nothing worse than the feeling that something is wrong with your brain. It’s a feeling of utter helplessness and despair to know that there’s something inside your head that is slowly killing you. 

A brain tumour is a real possibility for many people and the thought of dealing with it is terrifying. Its symptoms can be very subtle at first, making it even harder to detect. But as the tumour grows, it becomes more and more difficult to ignore. The pressure inside your skull increases, causing headaches and nausea. 

Earlier, there was no cure and the only treatment was to try and live your life as long as possible. The thought of dealing with all of this was overwhelming, and it’s a feeling that no one should have to go through. But, with advancements in the medical field, treatment is possible through brain tumor operation. Let’s look at some of the most innovative brain tumour treatments,

What Is a Brain Tumor?

A brain tumour is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in the brain, which can be benign or malignant. It can occur in people of any age but is most common in children and older adults.

Symptoms 

The symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on its size and location. Some common symptoms are.

  • Impaired vision and loss of balance 
  • Seizures and blackouts.
  • Headaches, nausea, and vomiting
  • Changes in mood or personality
  • Fatigue and drowsiness

Treatments

Brain tumours are often diagnosed through a combination of medical history, physical examination, brain imaging, and biopsy. Treatment for this condition depends on the type of tumour, its location, and the person’s age and overall health. Treatment options include:

  • Surgery
  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiosurgery 
  • Targeted drug treatment 

Some brain tumours are also treated with a combination of these methods.

  • Surgery 

Brain tumour surgery is a delicate and complex procedure that requires skilled and experienced neurosurgeons. The goal of this treatment is to remove as much of the tumour as possible while preserving normal brain tissue. This can be a difficult balance to achieve and often the surgeon must make difficult decisions during the surgery. 

In some cases, it may not be possible to remove the entire tumour and in such cases, the surgeon focuses on removing as much of the tumour as possible to relieve symptoms and improve the patient’s health. The complexity of performing surgery is high, so there are risks and side effects to deal with, such as blurry vision, infection, loss of vision or bleeding.

  • Radiation Therapy 

Radiation therapy uses a high-energy beam of rays to kill cancer cells. It can be used to shrink a tumour before surgery or after surgery to kill any cancer cells that remain. The therapy can be given externally via a beam of light or internally by placing radioactive material near the tumour. Radiation therapy can be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery or chemotherapy. 

  • Chemotherapy 

Chemotherapy is a common treatment for brain tumours. The drugs kill cancer cells. These drugs are usually given via vein in cycles, with each cycle consisting of a period of treatment followed by a period of rest. The side effects of chemotherapy can be severe, but they are usually temporary. Also, the tumour condition determines if a patient is recommended to go for chemotherapy or not.

  • Radiosurgery 

A large dose of radiation beams is focused on the tumour to destroy and kill it. The radiation beams are precisely targeted to destroy the cancer cells while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. The side effects of radiosurgery are usually mild, including headache, nausea, and fatigue. These side effects typically go away within a few days.

  • Targeted Drug Treatment 

Targeted drug treatment is a type of cancer treatment that specifically targets the cancer cells and leaves the healthy cells unharmed. This is done by either attacking the cancer cells directly or interfering with their ability to grow and multiply. Targeted drug treatments are often used in combination with other cancer treatments, such as surgery and radiation therapy. The downside is that this type of treatment is performed only on certain types of brain tumours and not on all. 

The medical field has been growing immensely with more advanced treatment for brain tumours. We hope you have gained some knowledge about the type of innovative neuro oncology treatment the healthcare sector is providing.

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