Tumors can form anywhere in the body. The central nervous system of our body is made up of two parts namely the brain and spinal cord. Any abnormal growths or tumors in the brain/spine are called as brain cancer. Primary brain tumors are one that originates in the brain and metastatic brain tumors are tumors that start in other parts of the body and spreads (metastasizes) to the brain.
Not all the brain tumors are malignant (cancer causing) some are benign (non-cancerous). Generally malignant tumors grow quickly and progresses to brain and other parts. Even benign tumors need to be treated since it can exert pressure on the nearby tissues causing inflammation. Like any other cell of the body, malignant cells also absorb nutrients and blood and grow to survive occupying space in the brain or at the place where it forms.
Brain cancer can occur to anyone. Till date, exact cause of brain cancer is not known. It is believed to develop due to accumulation of cells in particular spot forming tumor. Treatment for brain cancer depends on its size, shape and its intensity and the age of the patient. Prognosis of brain cancer depends on the stage of cancer, its size and on the age of the patient. In the USA alone, 6 out of 1000 people develop some type of brain cancer. As per the data given by the National Cancer Institute of America, each year about 22,000 new cases of brain cancer are being reported out of which 15,300 patients die.
Brain Cancer Types :
As said earlier, brain cancer is of two types namely primary and metastatic. As more and more cells begin to grow and multiply they form a tumor undergoing repeated mutation in abnormal fashion. The cells lose its original characters giving rise to mass or tumor.
- Primary brain cancer originates in the brain and some of the common types are gliomas, pituitary adenomas, meningiomas and vestibular schwannomas. Glioblastomas, oligodendrogliomas, astrocytomas and ependymomas are sub-types of gliomas.
- Metastatic brain cancer originates in any other part of the body and moves to the brain forming a tumor. Metastatic brain tumor is the most popular type of brain cancer.
Brain Cancer Causes :
Exact cause of brain cancer is not known. It is believed to occur due to combination of multiple factors like genetic and environmental factors. Over-exposure to radiation on the head, persistent smoking and drinking and having immune-compromised diseases like HIV/AIDS increases the chance of getting brain cancer. It is still a mystery why certain people get brain cancer and others not.
Brain cancer .Vs. Cell Phones :
At present there has been an increasing concern over cell phone usage and whether it would cause brain cancer. Many websites and media were discussing about this issue. Following this, the International Agency of Research on Cancer included “cell phones” in the list of items that are carcinogenic. However no concrete evidence is available to correlate cell phone usage and brain cancer.