A brain tumor is an intracranial tumor created by abnormal cell divisions (neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells, lymphatic tissue, blood vessels, cranial nerves, Schwann cells that produce myelin), pituitary and pineal gland or tumor from a cancer primarily located in other organs (tumor metastasis). The primary cranial tumors often located in the posterior fossa in children and in the previous two-thirds of the cerebral hemispheres in adults, although they can affect any part of the brain. Its incidence has been estimated at about 1.4% of all cancers and 2.4% of all cancer deaths.
Treatment
Patients with brain tumors have several treatment options. Depending on the type of tumor and its stage, patients may undergo surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Some patients receive a combination treatment.
At any stage of the disease, patients may receive treatment to control pain and other symptoms, to alleviate the side effects of treatment and to reduce the emotional problems. This type of treatment is called symptom control, supportive care or palliative care.
The doctor is the best person to describe the treatment choices and discuss the expected results.
The patient may want to discuss with your doctor the possible participation in a clinical trial, ie, a research study of new treatment methods.
Surgery is a common treatment for most brain tumors. The surgery to open craniotomy skull is called. This procedure is performed under general anesthesia. Before starting the operation, the scalp is shaved, the surgeon then makes an incision in the scalp and uses a special type of saw for removing a skull bone. After removing all or part of the tumor, the surgeon covers the opening in the skull bone removed or a metal part or tissue. Finally, the surgeon closes the incision in the scalp.
These are some of the questions the patient may want to ask the doctor before surgery:
• How will I feel after the operation?
• If you have pain, what can you do?
• How long will I have to stay in hospital?
• Will I have any long term effects? My hair grows back? Side effects may occur due to use metal or tissue to replace the skull bone?
• When can I resume my normal activities?
• What is the likelihood of a full recovery?
Sometimes, you can not perform surgery. If the tumor is in the brain stem or other areas, the surgeon may not be able to remove the tumor without damaging normal brain tissue. Patients who can not undergo surgery, are treated with radiation or other approaches.
The radiation therapy (radiation therapy) uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. The radiation is emitted from X-rays, gamma rays or protons. A large machine directs radiation to the tumor and adjacent tissues. Sometimes, the radiation may be directed to any brain or to the spinal cord.
Typically, radiation therapy is performed after surgery. The radiation kills tumor cells that may remain in this region. Patients who can not undergo surgery are often treated with radiation.
This type of treatment is carried out in a hospital or clinic. The timing of the treatment depends on the type and extent of tumor, and the age of the patient. Each session only takes a few minutes.
Measures should be taken to protect healthy tissue surrounding the brain tumor:
• Fractionation - Typically, radiation therapy is administered 5 days per week for several weeks. The administration of the total dose of radiation over a prolonged period helps protect healthy tissue in the area of the tumor.
• Hiperfraccionamento - In this case, they are administered to the patient at lower doses of radiation, twice or three times per day, rather than a higher daily dose.
• stereotactic radiation therapy - narrow beams of radiation are directed at the tumor from different angles. For this procedure is used a rigid frame for the head of the patient. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT images to create the exact location of the tumor. The physician uses computer to decide the radiation dose required and the size and angles of the beams. This therapy can be administered in single or multiple query.
• three dimensional conformal radiation therapy - The computer creates a three dimensional image of the tumor and the surrounding brain tissue. The physician directs multiple beams of radiation to the precise location of the tumor. The precise focusing of radiation beams protects normal brain tissues.
• Therapy proton radiation beam - in this case the radiation source are protons rather than the X-ray The physician directs the proton beam to the tumor. The protons can pass through healthy tissues without damaging them.
These are some of the questions the patient may want to ask the doctor about radiotherapy:
• Why do I need this therapy?
• When will the treatments begin? When will they end?
• How will I feel during therapy? Are there side effects?
• What should I watch myself during treatment?
• How do we know if the radiation is working?
• Can I perform my normal activities during treatment?
Chemotherapy (CT) - This approach uses drugs to kill cancer cells, and is also used in the treatment of brain tumors. The drugs can be administered orally or by injection. In both cases, drugs entering the blood stream and circulate throughout the body. In general, they are administered in cycles, such that there is a recovery period following each treatment period.
Chemotherapy can be administered in hospital, outpatient, doctor's office or at home. The patient rarely needs to be hospitalized.
Children are more likely to be subjected to chemotherapy than adults. However, adults may receive chemotherapy following surgery and radiotherapy.
In some patients with recurring brain cancer, the surgeon removes the tumor and deploys multiple discs containing chemotherapy. Each disc is roughly the size of a coin. The disc dissolves over several weeks, releasing the drug in the brain for killing cancer cells.
Patients may wish to ask the following questions about chemotherapy:
• Why do I need this treatment?
• What effect will?
• Do you have any side effects? What can I do to minimize them?
• When you begin treatment? When will it end?
• How often must I conduct thorough medical examinations?
Prevention
The brain cancer is a complex disease and not know specifically the causes that lead to the appearance of tumors. Therefore, it is difficult to lay down rules for the prevention of the disease. However, some general tips are valid:
- Avoid exposure to toxins and carcinogens such as pesticides, insecticides etc. Also, keep healthy life habits and practice sports. The habit of exercise removes toxins and oxidative substances in the body, which can cause damage to cells;
- Control the level of stress: High levels of stress cause biochemical changes that can damage cells;
- If you already have a family history of brain tumors or other cancer, talk to your doctor and make appointments often.
Treatment
Patients with brain tumors have several treatment options. Depending on the type of tumor and its stage, patients may undergo surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Some patients receive a combination treatment.
At any stage of the disease, patients may receive treatment to control pain and other symptoms, to alleviate the side effects of treatment and to reduce the emotional problems. This type of treatment is called symptom control, supportive care or palliative care.
The doctor is the best person to describe the treatment choices and discuss the expected results.
The patient may want to discuss with your doctor the possible participation in a clinical trial, ie, a research study of new treatment methods.
Surgery is a common treatment for most brain tumors. The surgery to open craniotomy skull is called. This procedure is performed under general anesthesia. Before starting the operation, the scalp is shaved, the surgeon then makes an incision in the scalp and uses a special type of saw for removing a skull bone. After removing all or part of the tumor, the surgeon covers the opening in the skull bone removed or a metal part or tissue. Finally, the surgeon closes the incision in the scalp.
These are some of the questions the patient may want to ask the doctor before surgery:
• How will I feel after the operation?
• If you have pain, what can you do?
• How long will I have to stay in hospital?
• Will I have any long term effects? My hair grows back? Side effects may occur due to use metal or tissue to replace the skull bone?
• When can I resume my normal activities?
• What is the likelihood of a full recovery?
Sometimes, you can not perform surgery. If the tumor is in the brain stem or other areas, the surgeon may not be able to remove the tumor without damaging normal brain tissue. Patients who can not undergo surgery, are treated with radiation or other approaches.
The radiation therapy (radiation therapy) uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. The radiation is emitted from X-rays, gamma rays or protons. A large machine directs radiation to the tumor and adjacent tissues. Sometimes, the radiation may be directed to any brain or to the spinal cord.
Typically, radiation therapy is performed after surgery. The radiation kills tumor cells that may remain in this region. Patients who can not undergo surgery are often treated with radiation.
This type of treatment is carried out in a hospital or clinic. The timing of the treatment depends on the type and extent of tumor, and the age of the patient. Each session only takes a few minutes.
Measures should be taken to protect healthy tissue surrounding the brain tumor:
• Fractionation - Typically, radiation therapy is administered 5 days per week for several weeks. The administration of the total dose of radiation over a prolonged period helps protect healthy tissue in the area of the tumor.
• Hiperfraccionamento - In this case, they are administered to the patient at lower doses of radiation, twice or three times per day, rather than a higher daily dose.
• stereotactic radiation therapy - narrow beams of radiation are directed at the tumor from different angles. For this procedure is used a rigid frame for the head of the patient. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT images to create the exact location of the tumor. The physician uses computer to decide the radiation dose required and the size and angles of the beams. This therapy can be administered in single or multiple query.
• three dimensional conformal radiation therapy - The computer creates a three dimensional image of the tumor and the surrounding brain tissue. The physician directs multiple beams of radiation to the precise location of the tumor. The precise focusing of radiation beams protects normal brain tissues.
• Therapy proton radiation beam - in this case the radiation source are protons rather than the X-ray The physician directs the proton beam to the tumor. The protons can pass through healthy tissues without damaging them.
These are some of the questions the patient may want to ask the doctor about radiotherapy:
• Why do I need this therapy?
• When will the treatments begin? When will they end?
• How will I feel during therapy? Are there side effects?
• What should I watch myself during treatment?
• How do we know if the radiation is working?
• Can I perform my normal activities during treatment?
Chemotherapy (CT) - This approach uses drugs to kill cancer cells, and is also used in the treatment of brain tumors. The drugs can be administered orally or by injection. In both cases, drugs entering the blood stream and circulate throughout the body. In general, they are administered in cycles, such that there is a recovery period following each treatment period.
Chemotherapy can be administered in hospital, outpatient, doctor's office or at home. The patient rarely needs to be hospitalized.
Children are more likely to be subjected to chemotherapy than adults. However, adults may receive chemotherapy following surgery and radiotherapy.
In some patients with recurring brain cancer, the surgeon removes the tumor and deploys multiple discs containing chemotherapy. Each disc is roughly the size of a coin. The disc dissolves over several weeks, releasing the drug in the brain for killing cancer cells.
Patients may wish to ask the following questions about chemotherapy:
• Why do I need this treatment?
• What effect will?
• Do you have any side effects? What can I do to minimize them?
• When you begin treatment? When will it end?
• How often must I conduct thorough medical examinations?
Prevention
The brain cancer is a complex disease and not know specifically the causes that lead to the appearance of tumors. Therefore, it is difficult to lay down rules for the prevention of the disease. However, some general tips are valid:
- Avoid exposure to toxins and carcinogens such as pesticides, insecticides etc. Also, keep healthy life habits and practice sports. The habit of exercise removes toxins and oxidative substances in the body, which can cause damage to cells;
- Control the level of stress: High levels of stress cause biochemical changes that can damage cells;
- If you already have a family history of brain tumors or other cancer, talk to your doctor and make appointments often.
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