How do brain tumor attacks happen? Brain tumors; It develops when the normal structures of cells that make up structures such as brain tissue, cerebellum, vessels, and cerebral membranes in the skull are disrupted and grow uncontrollably. On average, 15000 people are diagnosed with brain tumors every year in our country. Conditions such as long-term and severe headaches, nausea-vomiting attacks, epileptic (epileptic) seizures, and sudden or slow-developing vision-hearing loss are among the first symptoms of a brain tumor. It is very important to consider the symptoms and to consult a specialist in time for the treatment of the disease. From Memorial Health Group Medstar Antalya Hospital Brain, Nerve and Spinal Cord Surgery Department, Op. Dr. Okan Cinemre gave information about brain tumors and treatment options at “Brain Cancer Awareness Month”.
Hereditary diseases can cause brain tumors
Vinyl chloride (PVC) and ionizing radiation are thought to have an effect on the formation of brain tumors. Changes in the genetic structure called mutations and deletions may be the main factors in the development of some brain tumors. The frequency of accompanying brain tumors increases in hereditary diseases such as Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasms, Neurofibromatosis type II. Recently, there are publications that increase the incidence of brain tumors, but there is no conclusive evidence on this subject yet. In general, brain tumors are divided into principal and metastatic. These can be benign or malignant.
Metastatic tumors are more common
The main brain tumors are mostly considered among the malignant cancers. However, there are also benign tumors in the brain. Only because the skull is a closed box and its internal volume is constant, even if a tumor growing here is benign, it can have fatal and disabling results as a result of the pressure it puts on the brain and other vital tissues. In terms of the number of patients, metastatic brain tumors are seen more frequently than the actual tumors. Brain tumor symptoms can sometimes be a slowly increasing disorder, or sometimes a condition that develops suddenly and makes a diagnosis.
The main symptoms of brain tumors are:
Prolonged and severe headaches
Nausea-vomiting attacks
epileptic seizures
Sudden or slow-onset vision-hearing loss
Balance and gait disorders
Definitive diagnosis is made with modern imaging methods.
Brain tumor diagnosis is most commonly made by computed tomography and magnetic resonance (MR) methods. It is also useful in estimating the type of tumor by MR imaging. However, sometimes it is not possible to determine whether the abnormality is actually a tumor with current imaging methods. In this case, biopsy is applied. The definitive tissue diagnosis is made by pathologists after all or part of the tumor has been removed. This; It determines whether or not additional treatment will be performed, and if so, how it will be done.
The aim of surgery is to remove the entire tumor.
Three methods can be mentioned in the treatment of brain tumors: surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. One or more of these treatments can be applied according to the type of tumor, location and characteristics of the patient. The aim of surgical treatment is to remove the entire tumor, if possible, without harming the patient as much as possible. However, this may not always be possible. If the location of the tumor and the general condition of the patient do not allow for complete removal of the tumor, then some of it is removed. Even a relatively small piece to be removed from the skull can have a great place in the diagnosis and treatment of a brain tumor.
Radiotherapy is applied by preserving the healthy brain tissue around the tumor.
Radiotherapy is performed by radiation oncologists. Knowing the tissue type of the tumor before the treatment is important in determining the treatment method. If this is not possible, sometimes direct radiotherapy can be applied. It is important to protect the healthy brain tissue around the tumor during radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is less successful in the treatment of brain tumors compared to malignant tumors of other organs. It is usually applied to supplement the other two treatments. It is thought that with the development of chemotherapy drugs over time, they will have more places in the treatment of brain tumors.
