| The term brain cancer although often used by | | | | brain tumors can take anywhere from ten to |
| the general public is actually not the term | | | | thirty years to form. The exposure to vinyl |
| often used by the medical community. Primary | | | | chloride and/or ionizing radiation are the |
| brain tumor is the term used by the medical | | | | only known risk factors; other than these |
| community for tumors arising form the brain. | | | | there are no known environmental factors that |
| In children, most brain tumors are primary | | | | can be associated with brain tumors. The |
| tumors. In adults however, most tumors in | | | | so-called tumor suppressor genes mutations |
| the brain have spread from the lung, breast, | | | | and deletions are incriminated in some forms |
| or other parts of the body. When this | | | | of brain tumors. Inherited diseases such as |
| happens, the disease is not brain cancer. The | | | | Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome, neurofibromatosis |
| tumor in the brain is a secondary tumor and | | | | type 2, and multiple endocrine neoplasia of a |
| it is named after the organ or tissue fromch | | | | patient pose a high risk to having brain |
| it began. | | | | tumor. |
| | | | |
| A brain tumor is any intracranial tumor | | | | Symptoms of brain tumor and brain cancer are |
| created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell | | | | caused by the damage to the vital tissue and |
| division, normally either found in the brain | | | | by pressure on the brain as the tumor grows |
| itself, in the cranial nerves, in the brain | | | | within the limited space in the skull. If a |
| envelopes, skull, pituitary and pineal gland, | | | | brain tumor grows very slowly, its symptoms |
| or from cancers primarily located in other | | | | may appear so gradually that they are |
| organs. Although they can affect any part of | | | | sometimes overlooked for a long time. The |
| the brain, primary brain tumors in children | | | | most frequent symptoms of brain tumors or |
| are generally located in the posterior | | | | brain cancer include headache, nausea, |
| cranial fossil; and in adults, in the | | | | vomiting, loss of appetite, seizures, memory |
| anterior two-thirds of the cerebral | | | | loss, weakness, visual changes, problems with |
| hemispheres. | | | | speech and language, personality changes, and |
| | | | thought processing problems. These symptoms |
| The most common brain tumors or brain cancers | | | | may be caused by brain tumors or by other |
| are gliomas, which start in the glial | | | | problems. If a person is experiencing such |
| (supportive) tissue. Several types of | | | | symptoms, consulting a doctor right away is |
| gliomas include astrocytomas, ependymomas, | | | | strongly advised. |
| and oligodendrogliomas. | | | | |
| | | | A person diagnosed with brain cancer or brain |
| The development of certain types of primary | | | | tumor will undergo treatments that include |
| brain tumors or brain cancers has been linked | | | | surgery (surgical resection), which is |
| to exposure to radiation, especially if | | | | recommended for the majority of brain tumors. |
| exposure took place in childhood. It is | | | | It is rare in primary brain tumor to be cured |
| generally believed that higher radiation | | | | without a surgical resection. Other |
| doses increase the risk of eventually | | | | treatments include chemotherapy and radiation |
| developing a brain cancer. Radiation-induced | | | | therapy. |