Categories
Health Surgical Procedures

Can we prevent Brain Tumors?

Brain tumors are a common type of tumor found in the body. These tumors result from uncontrolled and abnormal growth of the brain tissue affecting a specific part of the brain and its functioning. Neurological problems are a common outcome of brain tumors. Some brain tumors may be present without showing any symptoms. Brain tumors can be genetic or can occur from other various factors. If you have a history of cancer in your family, you should discuss it with your healthcare professional and should take some important preventive measures beforehand. Brain tumors cannot be prevented completely, only their chances of occurrence can be reduced.

Here are some of the important steps you need to take if you want to lower the risk of a brain tumor explained briefly by India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti:

  • Avoid alcohol consumption as much as you can. As it can seriously affect your health and impair your immune system. Having alcohol regularly can increase the incidence of developing brain tumors. This consumption also varies among gender, as men should not consume more than 2 drinks a day while women should limit their alcohol consumption to one glass per day.
  • Limit smoking habits. Smoking is very dangerous for health and is a leading cause of causing cancer in individuals who smoke on a regular basis. Not only active smoking but passive smoking can be as risky too.
  • Regular exercise is key to living a healthy and happy life.  It decreases the prevalence of various health problems including cancer too.
  • A balanced diet can fight everything that is going to negatively impact the functioning of the body. Your body is what you eat. If eating junk and fast food is your way of living, then forget about the immunity you need to fight certain health battles for your own body. Processed food should be avoided as much as possible.
  • Obesity is a leading cause of almost all the health problems that can occur in the body. Staying active, and eating clean can help you maintain a healthy weight.
  • Sunscreen should be made an everyday essential. Protecting your skin from the radiation coming from the sun is very important to avoid the chances of developing skin cancer.
  • Getting genetic counseling as per need.
  • Regular screening and checkups must be followed religiously.

Categories
Health Surgical Procedures

What are the grades of Brain Tumors?

Brain tumors are abnormal and uncontrolled growth of brain tissue. They may occur inside any lobe of the brain or in the lining of the brain. These tumors can be fatal depending on their severity and the patient’s health. Brain tumors may be of two types i.e. primary (benign/non-cancerous) or secondary (malignant /cancerous). To precisely diagnose and prepare a treatment plan, doctors need to classify these tumors into various grades. These grades are discussed here in this article by India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti.

The brain tumor grading system determines the severity of the tumor. A biopsy is done and then the tissue is examined under a microscope. The grading indicates the severity and the growth rate of the tumor. These grades range from 1-4 indicating 1 as the least severe and 4 as the most severe.

Grade 1:                   

Grade 1 tumors are the least aggressive in nature and have the relatively least fatality rate. These tumors are benign, slow growing, and non-cancerous in nature. The symptoms are mostly not very serious. The prognosis is usually good and there are good chances of long-term survival. Under a microscopic investigation, the anatomy and the structure of the cells don’t seem to be disrupted. Grade 1 tumors are common in children and younger adults.

Grade 2:

These tumors are slightly more aggressive than grade 1 tumors. They also grow at a slow rate but tend to metastasize. These tumors can spread to some other parts of the brain. Under a microscopic investigation, the structure of the cells seems to be slightly altered. These tumors can be recurrent and can come back with a higher grade than before. The prognosis is not as good as in grade 1.

Grade 3:

When the tumor is at stage 3, it is very active in nature and continues to produce abnormal cells which are cancerous in nature. These tumors are malignant and can metastasize to other parts of the brain, and recur with a higher grade and intensity. These too under the microscope present abnormal cells.

Grade 4:

This is the most aggressive stage of the tumor. It grows at a very fast speed and is very severe in nature. The cells multiply at a high rate and create new blood vessel networks to facilitate their growth. The cells look abnormal under the microscopic investigation. These tumors show necrotic areas inside them.

Categories
Health Surgical Procedures

How to treat Brain tumors?

The treatment of brain tumors depends on their type and location where they are localized.  It also depends on the patient’s age, gender, general physical health, and other risk factors associated with the treatment type. The type of treatment chosen can be used independently or usually a combination treatment protocol is designed according to each patient’s condition and health. Various brain tumor treatment options are explained in this post by Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti India’s best neurosurgeon.

  1. Chemotherapy:

It is a treatment protocol specifically used to kill cancer cells. It includes a combination of one or more drugs that work together to prevent cancer cells from growing and to prevent symptoms. These drugs can be taken orally or intravenously. The most common type of drug used is temodar.

Chemotherapy also possesses various side effects that include nausea, fatigue, vomiting, compromised immune system, and hair loss. These effects depend on the type of drug and dosage. Chemotherapy is considered to be more effective in lymphomas and tumors in children.

2. Radiation therapy:

The use of radiation to kill cancer is an effective treatment option. It uses x-rays and high-energy beams for this purpose. High-energy beams allow the doctor to take more precise control over the radiation. This treatment can be done via external beem radiation or internal beem radiation. In external beem radiation, the radiations come from a machine and pass through the body from outside. However, in rare cases, brachytherapy is used in which radiations are placed inside the body close to the targeted brain tumor. The side effects usually include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, memory issues, and scalp irritation.

3. Surgery:

Removal of brain tumors through surgical approach is also common however it is a challenge for the neurosurgeon to precisely remove the tumor leaving behind the healthy brain tissues intact. The aim is to remove the tumor cells as much as possible and to make sure that the patient’s vital neurological functions such as speaking, walking, etc. are preserved. The surgical approach to removing tumors has side effects such as bleeding and infection.

4. Rehabilitation:

Depending on the part of the brain where the tumor is located, various motor skills can be impaired such as vision, speech, and listening. Due to this reason, your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist, speech therapist, or occupational therapist to regain lost motor skills.

Categories
Health Surgical Procedures

How are Brain tumors diagnosed?

A brain tumor is an abnormal mass of uncontrolled growing tissues, these tumors can develop in any part of the brain such as in its base or the lining. The brain is the control center of the body, these tumors may affect different neurological functions depending on the part of the brain being affected. There are over 120 types of brain tumors. Generally, brain tumors are categorized into two broad categories i.e. primary and secondary tumors. Primary tumors are non-cancerous and develop within the brain however secondary tumors are cancerous and are metastasized from tumors of any other part of the body. There are various ways to diagnose these tumors depending on their location, size, and type. These diagnostic tools and measures are briefly explained here by India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti.

  1. General health investigation:

Normal functioning of the body is checked according to the symptoms being noticed. It also includes family history, past medical and surgical history, and current and past medication history.

2. A neurological examination:

The normal functioning of cranial nerves such as balance, hearing, vision, reflexes, and coordination are examined through special tests to rule out any neurological deficits. Any abnormality seen in one or more functions may indicate the presence of a tumor affecting the particular part of the brain responsible for that function.

3. Diagnostic imaging:

The diagnosis of tumors can be a complicated process, it requires a team of different specialists. Usually, a brain tumor is discovered while performing diagnostic tests for some other medical issues. Imaging includes an MRI, a CT scan, or a PET scan.

4. Biopsy:

To perform a biopsy, a part of the brain tissue needs to be obtained during an operation or can be performed using a needle. The brain tissue is extracted through the needle by drilling a hole in the skull, this tissue is then frequently guided by CT or MRI. The biopsy is done to see if the tissue is cancerous or not.

5. Spinal tap:

Lumbar puncture is done using a small needle to extract CSF from the spine. Laboratory tests are done on that fluid to look for cancerous material.

Categories
Health

What are various types of Brain Tumors?

The abnormal growth and multiplication of cells in an abnormal mass of tissue present in the brain is called brain tumor or an intracranial tumor. These tumors divide at an uncontrollable rate and can be very dangerous if left unchecked. Usually they are not detected by the mechanisms of the body that keep a check on normally growing cells. The rate at which it grows vary from person to person. However these tumors can seriously compromise a person’s nervous system, it depends upon the location and the division rate. These tumors have multiple treatment options that too depend on the general physical health of the patient, size, location and type of the tumor.

Here in this article, India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti has briefly explained the various types of brain tumors:

Primary brain tumors:

Brain tumors that originate within the brain cells are called primary or benign tumors. These tumors are not cancerous. These tumors usually grow at a slow rate. They don’t spread to other parts of the brain but still can be life-threatening. They can compromise vital parts and functions of brain by compressing them. Some serious neurological disorders can occur by this.

Some of the common examples of primary brain tumors are:

  • Meningioma
  • Chordomas
  • Pineocytomas
  • Pituitary adenomas
  • Schwannomas
  • Craniopharyngiomas
  • Gangliocytomas
  • Germ cells tumors

Secondary brain tumors:

Tumors that are spread from any other part of body are called secondary or metastatic tumors. These tumors are considered cancerous and are spread usually through the bloodstream. Some common cancers that can spread to brain are lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, skin cancer or colon cancer. These tumors are very dangerous in nature as they have a high growth rate and are metastasizing rapidly.

Types of malignant brain tumors are as follows:

  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Astrocytoma
  • Ependymomas
  • Glioblastomas
  • Medulloblastomas.
Categories
Health

What are the symptoms of Brain Tumors?

The abnormal and uncontrolled growth of the brain tissues leads to tumors that may be cancerous or non-cancerous. These tumors affects functioning of the brain, which depends on the size and location of the tumor and also its type. Primary tumors are those which originate within the brain cells while secondary tumors are those which have been spread from any other cancerous part of the body. Early detection and proper treatment is a key to good prognosis.

Here are signs and symptoms caused by brain tumors explained by the best neurosurgeon in India Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti:

  • Frequent headaches:

Headaches that maybe intense in the morning or may get worse at night.

  • Restlessness:

General fatigue and restlessness may follow throughout the day without any known cause.

  • Nausea:

Gut problems may occur causing nausea frequently.

  • Vomiting:

Severe or mild vomiting may be seen.

  • Balance and coordination disturbance:

Body may seem to lose control over balance and coordination.

  • Visual defects:

The eyes are a common target for brain tumors. Partial or severe visual field loss is noted.

  • Sensational loss:

Complete or partial loss of sensations in the arms or legs.

  • Hand tremors:

Tremors in hands which may be resting or intentional are a common symptom.

  • Generalized weakness:

Overall body aches and weakness may be experienced.

  • Speech difficulties:

Difficulty in speech is seen when the respective part of the brain is affected.

  • Behavioral changes:

Sudden mood swings and irritability can be seen.

  • Seizures:

People who didn’t experience seizures before may experience in this time period.

  • Hearing loss:

Temporary and partial or severe loss of hearing is one of the common symptoms.

  • Memory issues:

The changes in brain leads to a major deficit in memory.

  • Confusion:

The person may seem confused and may be unable to make decisions as before.

  • Bladder or bowel control problems:

The incontinence of bladder and bowel is also a symptom of brain tumors. In extreme cases, there may be loss of control of these systems.

Click for scheduling an appointment