Treatment of Brain Tumor

Brain tumor
Synonyms	Intracranial neoplasm, brain tumour
Brain metastasis in the right cerebral hemisphere from lung cancer shown on magnetic resonance imaging.
Specialty	Neurosurgery, oncology
Symptoms	Vary depending on the part of the brain involved, headaches, seizures, problem with vision, vomiting, mental changes[1][2]
Types	Malignant, benign[2]
Causes	Usually unknown[2]
Risk factors	Neurofibromatosis, exposure to vinyl chloride, Epstein–Barr virus, ionizing radiation
Diagnostic method	Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, tissue biopsy
Treatment	Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy
Medication	Anticonvulsants, dexamethasone, furosemide
Prognosis	Average five-year survival rate 35% (US)
Frequency	1.2 million nervous system cancers (2015)
Deaths	229,000 (2015)

A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain.^[2] There are two main types of tumors: malignant or canceroustumors and benign tumors

In brain tumor care, different types of doctors often work together to create a patient’s overall treatment plan that combines different types of treatment.Cancer care teams include a variety of other health care professionals, such as physician assistants, oncology nurses, social workers, pharmacists, counselors, dietitians, and others. It is important to have a care team that specializes in caring for people with a brain tumor, which may mean talking with medical professionals not in your immediate area to help with diagnosis and treatment planning.

Descriptions of the most common treatment options for a brain tumor are listed below, including treatments that help manage symptoms. Treatment options and recommendations depend on several factors:

• Possible side effects
• Whether the tumor is putting pressure on vital parts of the brain
• If the tumor has spread to other parts of the CNS or body
• The size, type, and grade of the tumor
• The patient’s preferences and overall health.

Some types of brain tumors grow rapidly; other tumors grow slowly. Considering all these factors, your doctor will talk with you about how soon treatment should start after diagnosis.

Treatment options include those described below, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Your care plan may also include treatment for symptoms and side effects, an important part of your medical care.

For a low-grade brain tumor, surgery may be the only treatment needed especially if all of the tumor can be removed. If there is visible tumor remaining after surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be used. For higher-grade tumors, treatment usually begins with surgery, followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Your exact treatment plan will be made by your health care team.

Successfully treating brain tumors can be challenging. The body’s blood-brain barrier normally protects the brain and spinal cord from harmful chemicals. However, this barrier also keeps out many types of chemotherapy. Surgery can be difficult if the tumor is near a delicate part of the brain or spinal cord. Even when the surgeon can completely remove the original tumor, parts of the tumor may remain that are too small to be seen or removed during surgery. Radiation therapy can also damage healthy tissue.

However, research in the past 20 years has helped to significantly lengthen the lives of people with a brain tumor. More refined surgeries, a better understanding of the types of tumors that respond to chemotherapy, and more targeted delivery of radiation therapy have lengthened lives and improved the quality of life for many people diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Take time to learn about all of your treatment options and be sure to ask questions about things that are unclear. Talk with your doctor about the goals of each treatment and what you can expect while receiving the treatment.