A recent study by the World Health Organization has revealed that brain cancer develops in 22,000 new people annually. The death toll associated with cancer has increased too with 13,000 people recorded to have succumbed to the disease every year.
Brain cancer can emanate from other parts of the body and spread to the brain, this is referred to as secondary cancer. Tumors that form in the brain can also be a cause of primary brain cancer. Common symptoms of the disease include speech problems, visual disturbances, weak limbs, and headaches just to mention a few. In addition, seizures and focal neurological deficits may also indicate the presence of the disease.
These two common types of brain cancer require two different types of treatment. Secondary brain cancer requires either Gamma knife surgery, chemotherapy or surgery followed by radiotherapy. On the other hand, primary brain cancer requires surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
While a brain tumor may look like the chief source of brain cancer, not all of them are cancerous. Also, brain tumors vary, none is the same as the other. Headaches are the most common symptom of brain cancer, an increase in their frequency and intensity is enough reason to visit a doctor as fast as possible.
To add to the cancer facts mentioned above, you should also know that family history plays a big part in the spread of brain cancer. Apart from these, here are other facts about brain cancer that you need to familiarize yourself with.
6Not all Tumors can be Removed Instantly
While tumors may either be cancerous or noncancerous, not all of them can be removed immediately. A good example is Meningioma, a benign tumor that forms on the membranes covering the brain. Depending on the location and effects of the tumor, the doctor may advise you to have regular MRIs to monitor its growth. However, the most common method of removing the tumor is through surgery.
What makes this process hard is the location of the tumor. Malignant tumors located deep in the skull offer patients a very slim chance of survival. However, there are some cancerous brain tumors that can be easily removed easily as radiation and chemotherapy follow up to clear all the remaining cancer cells.
