| Brain cancer is a disease of the brain where cancer | | | | cancer compressing or eroding into nerves or other |
| cells (malignant) grow in the brain tissue. Cancer cells | | | | structures. |
| grow to form a mass of cancer tissue (tumor) that | | | | The symptoms are caused by the tumor pressing on |
| interferes with brain tissue functions such as muscle | | | | or encroaching on other parts of your brain and |
| control, sensation, memory, and other normal body | | | | keeping them from functioning normally. |
| functions. Tumors composed of cancer cells are called | | | | A sign is also an indication that something is not right |
| malignant tumors, and those composed of | | | | in the body. But signs are defined as things that can |
| noncancerous cells are called benign tumors. Cancer | | | | be seen by a doctor, nurse, or other health care |
| cells that develop from brain tissue are called primary | | | | professional. Fever, rapid breathing rate, and abnormal |
| brain tumors. Statistics suggest that brain cancer is | | | | breathing sounds heard through a stethoscope may |
| not rare and is likely to develop in about 20,000 | | | | be signs of pneumonia. |
| people per year. | | | | As the skull is made of bone, there is a fixed amount |
| There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary | | | | of space for the brain to take up. The growing |
| brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain | | | | tumour increases the pressure inside this fixed space. |
| cancer starts somewhere else in the body and | | | | This is called 'raised intracranial pressure'. |
| moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with | | | | Motion sickness is a very common disturbance of the |
| no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that | | | | inner ear that is caused by repeated motion such as |
| grow quickly. | | | | from the swell of the sea, the movement of a car, |
| Primary brain cancer rarely spreads beyond the | | | | the motion of a plane in turbulent air, etc. In the inner |
| central nervous system, and death results from | | | | ear (which is also called the labyrinth), motion sickness |
| uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of | | | | affects the sense of balance and equilibrium and, |
| the skull. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced | | | | hence, the sense of spatial orientation. |
| disease and has a poor prognosis. | | | | Brain tumors can often present different symptoms |
| Metastatic brain tumors are made of cancerous cells | | | | depending on the location of the tumor. There are |
| from a tumor elsewhere in the body. The cells | | | | general brain tumor symptoms that need to be |
| spread to the brain from another tumor in a process | | | | checked out by a doctor if they are experienced. |
| called metastasis. About 25% of tumors elsewhere in | | | | Fits are one of the commonest symptoms of brain |
| the body metastasize to the brain. | | | | tumours. About 1 in 4 people with a brain tumour first |
| Symptoms of Brain Cancer | | | | go to their doctor because they have had a fit. A fit |
| Brain tumors can damage vital neurological pathways | | | | can just be jerking or twitching of a hand, arm or leg. |
| and invade and compress brain tissue. Symptoms | | | | At the late stages of the disorder, dramatic changes |
| usually develop over time and their characteristics | | | | in blood pressure may occur. Seizures are a common |
| depend on the location and size of the tumor. | | | | symptom of benign brain tumors and slow-growing |
| Cancers are typically painless at first. As they grow, | | | | cancers. Tumors can cause a part of the body to |
| the first symptom is often a mild discomfort, which | | | | weaken or feel paralyzed. Hearing, sight and the |
| may steadily worsen into increasingly severe pain as | | | | sense of smell can be affected. |
| the cancer enlarges. The pain may result from the | | | | |