| Brain cancer is a very difficult cancer. It is typically | | | | high-energy radiation from different angles on the |
| hard to detect and not usually found until some form | | | | tumor. The recovery time is much shorter in this |
| of motor skills are affected. These tumors have the | | | | 'gamma knife' surgery. However, before the surgery |
| capacity to grow fast and spread in an aggressive | | | | is done, the doctor might prescribe a steroid |
| manner, which is known as metastasis. They grow | | | | medication to relieve swelling or an anticonvulsant |
| out of control and push out normal healthy cells with | | | | drug to prevent or reduce seizures. |
| devastating effects. Brain tumors are difficult mainly | | | | Radiation therapy could be of two types, external |
| because of the brain tissue they are around. Other | | | | and internal. In external therapy, the brain tumor is |
| types of cancer are much more easily removed and | | | | targeted with high-energy radiation beams. This |
| can be accessed much easier than going through | | | | treatment is given for a few minutes for 5 days a |
| your skull and operating around your brain tissue | | | | week and for 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the size |
| (which can be easily damaged from the procedure). | | | | and type of tumor. Internal radiation is done by |
| Data shows that the incidence of brain cancer due to | | | | implanting a small radioactive capsule inside the tumor. |
| metastasis is around 25% of all brain cancers. | | | | This treatment might take several weeks and would |
| Certain symptoms could be indicative of brain cancer. | | | | require hospitalization for that period. |
| They are chronic headaches, weakness, difficulty in | | | | Chemotherapy is the administration of a powerful |
| walking, seizures, clumsiness in actions, reduced | | | | drug or a combination of such drugs to kill tumor cells. |
| memory or concentration, nausea and vomiting, vision | | | | Chemotherapy is normally done in 2 to 4 cycles of |
| defects, speech difficulty and other motor skill | | | | treatment, each cycle consisting of a short period of |
| difficulties. Brain cancer treatment is typically | | | | intense medication with enough rest and recovery |
| individual-specific. The physician would take into | | | | period after that. However, chemotherapy is not |
| consider the age and general health condition of the | | | | suitable for most brain cancer patients, because very |
| patient, along with the size, type and location of the | | | | few chemotherapies cross the blood brain barrier so |
| tumor. Brain cancer treatment involves consultation | | | | it is useless to give them, and the stronger the |
| with several specialists like neurosurgeons, | | | | medications the more side effects that will cause |
| oncologists, radiologists, dieticians, and | | | | other consequences and effects on the body. . |
| physiotherapists, apart from the primary physician. | | | | Even after undergoing brain cancer treatment, regular |
| Brain cancer treatment is normally done by surgery, | | | | follow-up tests and checkups are needed to make |
| radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of | | | | sure that there is no recurrence of brain cancer. The |
| these three methods. A benign tumor could safely be | | | | physician would also watch the long-term effect of |
| removed by surgery. A modern method of surgery, | | | | the treatment for corrective action, if needed. The |
| which is a knifeless technology, is training of | | | | success rate is typically less than 10%. |