Brain Tumors Prevention Tips

Brain Tumors Prevention Tips

What is a brain tumor? A brain tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue in which the cells grow and multiply without restraint, apparently unregulated by the mechanisms that control normal cells. One factor that distinguishes brain tumors from other tumors is that they arise in the skull, an organ encased by bone, and there is very little room for expansion with the skull. They are also among the few types of tumors that generally do not tend to metastasize or spread to other parts of the body. Whereas certain brain tumors occur almost exclusively during childhood and adolescence, others are predominantly tumors of adult life. The patient's age appears to correlate with the site where some tumors develop in the brain. Although most primary tumors attack member of both sexes with equal frequency, some, such as meningiomas, occur more frequently in women, while others, such as medulloblastomas, more commonly afflict boys and young men. The prognosis for patients with a brain tumor is as individual as the patients themselves. Your doctors will help you understand the possible consequences of your specific tumor. Tumor Types There are several different types of brain tumors and this section describes most except the ones that are quite rare. We will help you locate the structures of the brain mentioned in these descriptions and will tell you in general terms the functional roles of each structure. Gliomas Astrocytoma and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Other Gliomas Brain Stem Glioma, Epdendymoma, Ganglioneuroma, Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Mixed Glioma, Oligodendroglioma, and Optic Nerve Glioma Non-gliomas Chordoma, Craniopharyngioma, Medulloblastoma, Meningioma, Pineal Tumors, Pituitary Adenoma, Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors (PNET), Schwannoma or Acoustic Neuroma, and Vascular Tumors Other brain-related conditions CNS Lymphoma, Meningeal Carcinomatosis, Neurofibromatosis, Pseudotumor Cerebri, and Tuberous Sclerosis Metastatic brain tumors Any tumors that spread to the brain from other parts of the body.