| The brain and spinal column make up the central | | | | chemotherapy and hormone therapy is being |
| nervous system (CNS), where all vital functions of | | | | investigated in clinical trials. |
| the body are controlled. When tumors arise in the | | | | Malignant brain cancer is one of the most lethal types |
| central nervous system, they are especially | | | | of cancer in adults and is the second leading cause of |
| problematic because a persons thought processes | | | | cancer death in children. Many current ways of |
| and movements can be affected. These tumors can | | | | treating the disease fail to provide long-term |
| also be difficult to treat because the tissues | | | | management because they ineffectively target tumor |
| surrounding a tumor that may be affected by | | | | cells and harm the health and vitality of normal brain |
| surgery or radiation may play a vital role in | | | | cells. |
| functioning. | | | | Treatment: |
| There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary | | | | Chemotherapy |
| brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain | | | | Chemotherapy consists of a series of drugs that |
| cancer starts somewhere else in the body and | | | | interfere with the normal functioning of the rapidly |
| moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with | | | | dividing cells of the tumor. This prevents the tumor |
| no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that | | | | from growing. Most of these chemotherapy drugs |
| grow quickly. | | | | are given in combination so that they are most |
| Alternative treatments have not been shown to cure | | | | effective. Research is being conducted to determine |
| brain tumors and should never be substituted for | | | | the best combination of chemotherapy drugs to |
| conventional therapy. However, complementary | | | | combat brain tumors. Some chemotherapy drugs are |
| therapies (used with, not instead of, standard | | | | injected directly into the bloodstream while others |
| treatments) can help some patients cope with the | | | | can be taken by pill, at home. |
| stress of their illness and side effects of their | | | | The KetoCal diet gets around this dilemma by |
| treatment. | | | | essentially starving the brain tumor cells of the |
| Meningiomas grow from the meninges. They are | | | | sugary molecules on which they rely for growth and |
| usually benign. Because these tumors grow very | | | | survival. Because of its special composition, the diet |
| slowly, the brain may be able to adjust to their | | | | deprives the tumor cells of the glucose they need; at |
| presence; meningiomas often grow quite large before | | | | the same time, the diet provides normal brain cells |
| they cause symptoms. They occur most often in | | | | with ketones, a class of organic compounds they can |
| women between 30 and 50 years of age. | | | | metabolize effectively but the tumor cells cannot. |
| Treatment: | | | | Complementary and Alternative Medicines: |
| Surgery is the preferred treatment for accessible | | | | Complementary medicine is thought of as treatments |
| meningiomas and is more successful for these tumors | | | | used in addition to the conventional therapies your |
| than most tumor types. For those with minor | | | | doctor may prescribe, such as using tai chi or |
| symptoms or an inaccessible tumor, close observation | | | | massage in addition to prescription medicine for |
| may be the first course of action. If the entire tumor | | | | anxiety. |
| is not removed surgically, or if it recurs, additional | | | | Alternative medicine is generally thought of as being |
| treatment such as radiation may be used. | | | | used instead of conventional methods. For example, |
| Stereotactic radiation is often preferred to reduce | | | | this might mean seeing a homeopath or naturopath |
| damage to healthy tissue. The effectiveness of | | | | instead of your regular doctor. |