How does brain cancer develop? The first signs and symptoms of brain cancer – when to sound the alarm? Hearing and speech impairments

Brain cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the brain tissue of the human body. Tumors are often distinguished by their cellular structure. Cranial nerves are called neuromas, tumors of glandular tissue cells are called pituitary adenomas, tumors of meningeal cells are called meningiomas. All this is due to the development of the disease within the nervous system.

The result of treatment and a favorable prognosis directly depend on the stage of brain cancer. Despite the fact that it is an oncological disease, it differs from all other types of cancer in its types and types. This happens because the process does not go beyond the nervous system.

The degrees of brain cancer are determined using modern:

x-ray radiation;
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
positron emission tomography (PET);
computer diagnostics (CT);
cerebrospinal fluid studies;
blood tests for

These methods provide a clear enough picture to determine the stage of brain cancer.

The stages tend to change very quickly, and it is not possible to identify them, very often, and other brain regions are diagnosed only after the death of the patient, since in some cases the disease progresses very quickly.

Stage 1 brain cancer

Stage I brain cancer is characterized by relatively benign tumors that grow slowly. Cancer cells are similar to normal cells and rarely spread to surrounding tissues. The effectiveness of surgical intervention and the body’s positive response to treatment gives hope for recovery and a long life if signs of a brain tumor are noticed at an early stage. One of the problems of brain tumors in the early stages of its development is mild symptoms.

First clinical manifestations:

headaches;
weakness;
fatigue;
dizziness.

Stage 2 brain cancer

At stage II of brain cancer, the cells also grow slowly and differ little from normal ones, despite this, the tumor has increased in size and the process of malignant formation affects neighboring tissues. Stage 2 is characterized by slow infiltration into nearby tissues, recurrence and aggressiveness over the years.

Stages I and II are classified as “low grade”, therefore, after effective surgical treatment, the patient can live more than 5 years, provided there are no relapses. The symptoms become more pronounced and it is very difficult not to pay attention to them; new, more pronounced ones are added to the previous symptoms.

Symptoms of stage 2 brain cancer are as follows:

symptoms are associated with the gastrointestinal tract: nausea and vomiting (the presence of a gag reflex is associated with changes in pressure inside the skull);
there may be a feeling of general malaise in the body;
blurred vision;
convulsions;
epileptic seizures.

Brain cancer stage 3

The next stage, stage 3, of brain cancer is characterized by malignant tumors of moderate aggressiveness. They grow quickly and can spread into surrounding tissues; the composition of cancer cells differs from healthy cells. This stage of the development of the disease poses a very serious danger to human life. At stage 3, doctors can recognize. , is already moving into a more severe form. Atypical class III tumor cells can actively reproduce, so treatment is complex and includes radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. The symptoms are gaining momentum, and even more pronounced ones are being added to all of the above symptoms.

Symptoms of a malignant brain tumor at stage 3:

horizontal nystagmus (implies the patient’s running pupil, while the head remains painfully motionless and he does not feel the pupil running);
vision, speech, hearing change;
worsening mood, change in character, inability to concentrate;
difficulties with remembering, memory impairment;
difficulty maintaining balance in an upright position, especially when walking;
cramps, convulsions, muscle twitching;
numbness of the limbs, tingling sensation in them.

Stage 3 brain cancer, how long do patients with the disease live at this stage of the disease? After surgery, on average 1-2 years. Comprehensive treatment can extend life by another year. With metastases to the brain and the development of secondary cancer, the tumor affects the entire brain, and it is extremely difficult to fight it.

Stage 4 brain cancer

Stage 4 brain cancer is characterized by rapid tumor growth and extensive infiltration. The cells multiply quickly and differ from normal ones. New vessels are formed to support rapid cell growth and areas of necrosis (dead cells).

The tumor grows rapidly, cancer cells multiply at a very high speed, while affecting the nearest brain tissue. The patient's condition worsens before our eyes. Surgery at this stage is most often impossible, since the tumor is located in vital areas of the brain, but in some cases, when the tumor is located, for example, in the temporal lobe, surgery may be successful, and chemotherapy or radiation therapy will prevent further proliferation of cancer cells . In all other cases, only part of the tumor can be removed, and further treatment occurs with the help of medications. A complete cure is not possible due to the rapid progression of the disease; you can only slow down the irreversible process. and adults of stages III and IV are classified as “high grade” or high grade.

The last stage is very serious and scary, it leads to brain damage in which surgical intervention does not make sense. All vital functions of the body cease to function normally in a person, and with the help of potent medications one can only alleviate his suffering. In some cases, consciousness is completely lost, and the person falls into a coma from which he never recovers.

Stage 4 brain cancer, how long do patients with this disease live?

Most people diagnosed with this disease want to know what to expect from this disease, and how does the cancer respond to treatment?

The survival prognosis is influenced by many factors such as:

timely;
stages of brain cancer development;
sick;
age and gender of the patient;
the general health of the patient;
the presence of other diseases in the body;
emotional mood;
type of cancer;
cancer stage;
characteristics of brain cancer;
cancer subtype;
tissue or cell results (histology);
tumor size;
location of cancer.

There are also so-called cancer characteristics:

depth ;
tumor growth model;
type of metastasis (cancer spreads through nerve, blood or lymph vessels);
presence or absence of tumor markers;
presence of abnormal chromosomes;
ability to continue activities of daily living (EG).

Five-year survival rate of people with a brain tumor, the use of this term occurs very often when talking about survival prognosis. The assessment takes place over a certain period – 5 years.

This number represents the portion of the population who have been diagnosed with brain cancer, whether they have been cured or are still undergoing treatment. There are people who have lived with brain cancer for more than 5 years and are under constant treatment. It all depends on the person’s health status, his immune system and the nature of the disease. Survival rates vary depending on the type of cancer.

Important: Only the patient’s attending physician can select treatment and, based on treatment, establish a survival prognosis. Only a doctor is the only person who can answer all your questions.

Prediction of five-year survival for brain tumors

Name of tumor	Survival rate in %, age
Name of tumor	22-44	45-54	55-64
(diffuse)	65	43	21
	67	55	38
Ependymoma/anaplastic ependymoma	91	86	85
Meningioma	92	77	67

In general, if cancer is detected at an early stage and treated promptly, the prognosis will be the best. But we must remember that cancer does not always respond to treatment the way we would like.

Informative video

Be healthy!

The incidence of malignant brain tumors among cancer diseases is 1.5%. And although they are less common than many other cancers, the first signs of brain cancer are often disguised as ordinary, common illnesses.

Therefore, when symptoms of a tumor appear, especially if they recur frequently, it is necessary to undergo an urgent examination. What are these symptoms, and how many of them can there be? More on this later in the article.

Malignant brain tumors are the most dangerous among oncological diseases

Features of brain tumors

Depending on the type of cells that were the source of the development of the tumor, tumors are divided into subtypes. For example:

meninges;
from cells belonging to the pituitary gland;
directly from brain cells;
tumors of the cranial nerves;
tumors that arise as a result of metastases from other parts of the body.

As the tumor grows, it increases in size and puts pressure on structures adjacent to it, causing symptoms that are called “primary (focal) or “local”. In addition, education leads to the appearance of general disorders in the brain, which manifest themselves as symptoms called cerebral.

General cerebral symptoms

Often education does not manifest itself in any way until serious changes appear in the brain.

It happens that the primary symptoms are so insignificant that they are not paid attention to, or are mistaken for another disease.

General cerebral symptoms of brain cancer

These include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms occur when intracranial pressure increases or certain brain structures are compressed.

Headache

This symptom appears earlier and more often than others (about 90% of cases). With brain tumors, pain in the head at the beginning of the disease manifests itself in attacks. It is characterized by: constancy, high intensity and immunity to analgesics. It intensifies during coughing or sneezing, defecation, when turning the head, that is, with any physical stress.

Most often, a headache due to brain cancer is accompanied by a bursting sensation.

It is usually relieved by lowering intracranial pressure with the help of medications.

Dizziness

As the tumor grows, it causes disruption of the blood supply to the brain structures. Lack of oxygen, hypoxia, causes dizziness. This may also be caused by compression of the cerebellum and disturbances in the vestibular apparatus. This is expressed in the form of rotation around its axis, as if a person is turning or, conversely, objects are moving around him. Such sensations can occur systematically, both in the case of a certain position of the head, and suddenly, regardless of the posture.

Vomiting and nausea

If the tumor arose in the midbrain, then, as it enlarges, it can put pressure on the vomiting center. As a result of his overexcitation, a person constantly feels nauseated. When intracranial pressure increases, nausea progresses to severe vomiting. The sensitivity of the center varies from person to person, so the severity of nausea and the intensity of the gag reflex will also be different. In some cases, a person is unable to even eat or drink water, since any irritation of the oral mucosa leads to vomiting.

Nausea and vomiting in brain cancer are especially pronounced in the morning

Focal symptoms of a brain tumor

Symptoms of this group occur when cells grow abnormally in a certain area of the brain.

It should be noted that in each case, some individual symptoms predominate, different from those in other people.

In addition, some of them manifest themselves so insignificantly that people live with them for a long time.

Disorders of the autonomic nervous system. They occur with increasing intoxication of the body, loss of control over the tone of the vascular walls. They manifest themselves as lethargy, weakness, and indifference. It is difficult for a person to get up, move around, and he experiences changes in blood pressure and arrhythmia.
Speech disorders (oral and written). They arise due to the destruction of the corresponding areas of the cerebral cortex by tumor cells. In the first stages of the disease, the speech of adults becomes slurred and unintelligible. The same thing happens with handwriting. In the future, there may be a complete loss of the ability to write and speak.

When the tumor affects the speech center, speech impairment occurs

Memory impairment. It also occurs when a tumor grows in the cerebral cortex. Depending on the speed of the pathological process, memory may be lost partially or completely.
Loss of sensation. Expressed in the loss of the ability of human skin to perceive any irritation from the outside. His tactile and pain receptors do not work, he does not feel cold or heat. In addition, a person loses the feeling of himself in space, that is, he cannot determine what position he is in at the moment (with his eyes closed).
Visual impairment. A decrease and then loss (complete or partial) of vision occurs when the tumor is located in the area of the optic nerve. In this case, the nerve impulse from the retina does not reach the cerebral cortex. If the neoplasm arises in the cortex itself, in the place where the analysis of what is seen occurs, then the nerve signals reach the cortex, but are not recognized. In this case, a person may not understand what is written or may not recognize surrounding objects.
Movement coordination disorders. Expressed in instability (especially without visual control), unsteady gait, inability to make precise movements.

A tumor of the cerebellum may cause unsteadiness in gait.

The occurrence of hallucinations. These can be both visual and auditory disturbances. Auditory hallucinations manifest themselves as tinnitus, extraneous sounds, or ringing. Visual ones are characterized by: flashes of light, dots, “floaters” or blurry images. The first symptoms occur rarely and, as a rule, are associated not with the disease, but with fatigue or overstrain (nervous or physical), weather, and so on. This leads to a significant loss of time.
Mental disorders. Changes in the psychological and cognitive sphere are expressed by symptoms such as: absent-mindedness, inability to concentrate, memory problems. In addition, a person whose tumor is growing becomes irritable, finds it difficult to communicate with others, and exhibits symptoms of psychopathy.
Manifestation of epilepsy and seizures. At the early stage of a brain tumor, mainly convulsive contractions of individual parts of the body or muscle groups are observed. As the disease progresses, seizures become more frequent and prolonged, affecting larger areas, and then give way to attacks of epilepsy. Such disorders are caused by prolonged stimulation of a certain area of the cerebral cortex.

At-risk groups

If such signs appear periodically, you should immediately contact a specialist and undergo an examination.

The most informative in this regard are computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

MRI and CT are crucial stages in diagnosing a brain tumor

In case of timely treatment, brain tumors at an early stage of growth are cured in 80% of cases. How long do they live if it comes to stages 2–3? The indicators are halved.

Among adults who are most likely to develop a brain tumor, the following groups are distinguished:

having malignant formations in any organ;
those who have suffered a head injury;
with genetic diseases of the brain;
having constant contact with carcinogenic substances.

Malignant neoplasms of brain tissue include tumors inside the skull and spinal canal. The oncological process is characterized by uncontrolled and atypical cell division. How to recognize brain cancer however, it depends on the class and type of tumor formation.

Statistics

This pathology can develop in two main forms:

Primary damage is when a neoplasm is formed from mutated brain tissue.
Secondary damage - the oncological process in this case is a consequence of the metastatic spread of cancer cells from distant organs and systems. Penetration of pathological elements can occur through the lymphogenous or circulatory route.

According to the latest classification, based on the histological structure, experts distinguish 12 groups of brain tumors. In most cases, cancer patients are diagnosed (60%). This type of brain tumor grows directly from brain tissue and has a poor prognosis. The second most frequently diagnosed cancer is the tumor, the source of which is the cells of the meninges.

Many people have a logical question, how to recognize cancer at an early stage? To do this, the doctor compares the patient’s subjective complaints and objective research data.

Early signs of brain cancer

The initial stage of the disease can be identified only by the presence of cerebral symptoms of oncology:

Headache attacks:

This is considered the earliest sign of a malignant process of the central nervous system. Painful attacks have different intensities. They tend to become active in the afternoon and at night.

Also, increased pain occurs during physical or mental stress.

Vomit :

Typical for these is the presence of vomiting without accompanying nausea. In most cases, vomiting attacks are not associated with food intake and are observed in the morning or against the background of a migraine.

Dizziness :

Patients often complain of a sudden feeling of rotation of surrounding objects.

Mental disorders:

Patients with meningeal tumors maintain clear consciousness. At the same time, in some patients the process of thinking, remembering or perception is distorted. For example, it may be difficult for a cancer patient to remember recent events or his address. He becomes apathetic or, on the contrary, hyperexcited.

Epileptic seizures:

Seizures that first occur over the age of 20 are a direct reason for a visit to a neurologist. In the case of a malignant lesion, this symptomatology maintains a tendency to increase the number of seizures.

Deterioration in quality of vision:

Patients experience a progressive decrease in visual acuity or a feeling of fog before the eyes.

Distortion of sensitivity:

The slow disappearance of tactile or pain sensitivity of the skin may also be an early sign of the development of a head tumor.

Exact symptoms of a tumor

Focal signs of tissue damage to the central nervous system, depending on the location of the tumor, include:

Frontal lobe:

Local headache, epileptic seizures, mental disorders, paresis of facial muscles and decreased visual acuity.

Pre- and postcentral gyrus:

Pathological attacks of swallowing, licking and chewing. Patients experience paralysis of the facial and hypoglossal nerves and incoordination of limb movements.

Temporal lobe:

In the initial period of the disease, patients note the disappearance of taste and olfactory sensations. Also, such cancer patients experience disruption of the trigeminal nerve and convulsive conditions.

Parietal lobe:

Decreased deep sensation and gait coordination. Patients experience the inability to read, write and speak.

Occipital lobe:

The main symptom is visual impairment.

Pituitary:

The key sign of such a lesion is considered to be a radical change in hormonal balance and blindness.

What tests will help detect brain cancer early?

For timely diagnosis of brain cancer, the doctor, after clarifying the patient’s complaints, prescribes the following procedures:

A general and detailed blood test, which also includes determining the exact concentration of platelets.
Ultrasound examination of internal organs.
Computed and magnetic resonance imaging.

Determining the number of tumor markers in a diagnostic set of procedures is not very effective, since the study does not have high specificity. This procedure is mainly used to monitor the effectiveness of anti-cancer treatment.

Disease prevention

To prevent malignant degeneration of brain cells, experts recommend following the following rules:

Undergo preventive medical examinations annually.
Give up bad habits.
Balance your daily diet in terms of vitamin and mineral composition.
Eliminate exposure to carcinogenic substances on the body.
Spend more time outdoors and engage in physical activity.

Brain cancer is a collective name for malignant brain tumors, which is used in everyday life. It is not entirely correct, since doctors call only tumors of epithelial origin “cancer”. But since this term has firmly taken root in our language, we will use it in our article. Brain cancer differs from benign tumors in its faster growth and ability to spread to neighboring tissues and other organs.

Brain tumors can arise from mutated brain cells - primary cancer, or from tumor cells of other organs that entered the brain through the bloodstream - metastatic cancer.

A malignant brain tumor can be diagnosed in a person of any age. However, most often this diagnosis is given to elderly people, and in terms of frequency of occurrence in children, it is second only to leukemia. This disease is very serious and often ends in death. Fortunately, primary brain cancer is a fairly rare disease, accounting for about 1.5% of all tumor diseases. Metastatic brain cancer is diagnosed in 10-30% of patients with cancer of other organs.

Reasons

The causes of brain cancer are currently poorly understood. Most brain tumors develop as a complication of malignant diseases of other organs. At risk are people who have been diagnosed with lung, breast, colon, kidney and skin melanoma cancer. In rare cases, a detected brain tumor is the first sign of cancer affecting other organs.

Primary cancer occurs much less frequently. Scientists cannot yet give an exact answer as to what is the immediate cause. However, some regularities were established. Risk factors that can lead to brain cancer include:

· age over 50 years - according to statistics, the majority of patients with this diagnosis belong to this age group;

· heredity. If one of your relatives has been diagnosed with brain cancer, your risk of getting the disease increases slightly;

· exposure to radiation (radiotherapy, nuclear weapons, nuclear power plant accidents);

· genetic disorders are considered the main cause of the development of certain types of cancer: Turco, Li-Fraumeni, Hippel-Lindau, Gorlin syndromes; tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis of the first and second types;

· work with certain types of chemicals.

The theory that radiation from microwave ovens, mobile phones and power lines can cause brain cancer has not been confirmed.

Classification

Brain tumors are classified not by stages, like most malignant tumors, but by grade of malignancy. At the same time, both benign and malignant tumors are included in one classification.

· Grade 1 - includes only benign tumors. Surgical removal is sufficient as treatment;

· Grade 2 - unites neoplasias that have an unclear status or a low level of malignancy. Such tumors grow slowly, but at the same time grow into surrounding tissues. Because of this, they often recur after surgical removal. Over time, they can become highly malignant;

· 3rd degree - highly malignant neoplasms. Surgical removal is not enough. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or a combination thereof, is required;

· Grade 4 - rapidly growing malignant tumors that do not respond to treatment.

Symptoms

The manifestations of brain cancer can be very different. It all depends on how big the tumor is, what part of the brain it affects, and what part it puts pressure on.

The limits of the brain are strictly limited by the skull. Therefore, a large tumor increases intracranial pressure. Signs of this are:

Constant severe headaches;

Persistent nausea and vomiting;

Drowsiness;

Vision problems (blurred vision, spots before the eyes, blindness)

Twitching of individual parts of the body;

Whole body spasms.

Depending on the location of the tumor, brain cancer may present with the following symptoms:

- frontal lobe lesion may lead to character changes, weakness of one half of the body, loss of smell;

- temporal lobe lesion manifested by forgetfulness, speech impairment (aphasia), convulsions;

- lesion of the parietal region can be suspected by speech impairment, numbness or weakness of half the body;

- occipital lesion characterized by loss of vision in one eye;

- cerebellar lesion can be recognized by poor coordination of movements, trembling of the eyeball, nausea and a stiff neck;

- brainstem lesion manifested by unsteady, difficult gait, weakness of the facial muscles, impaired speech and swallowing (dysphagia), double vision (diplopia).

If you or your loved ones experience any of the above symptoms or a combination of them, this does not necessarily indicate brain tumors, but you should definitely see a doctor as soon as possible.

Diagnostics

A neurologist diagnoses brain cancer. After a conversation with the patient, the doctor will conduct a neurological examination, which will help him determine which of the functions “in the area of responsibility” of the nervous system are impaired. These may include tests to determine the knee reflex, muscle strength, skin sensitivity, hearing and visual acuity, sense of balance and coordination, memory and intelligence. If, as a result of a neurological examination, the doctor reveals abnormalities that may be associated with the presence of a tumor, to clarify the diagnosis, the patient will be prescribed a referral for one or more studies:

Magnetic resonance therapy, possibly with the introduction of contrast agents (MRI);

Contrast radiography;

Encephalography.

The first two methods allow the doctor to get a picture of the problem area, while the latter is used to determine abnormalities in the brain. When a tumor is detected, the next diagnostic step is a biopsy, taking a small piece of the tumor, which is examined by a histologist. The sample is taken under local anesthesia with a special needle through a tiny hole in the skull. If all previous studies help the doctor determine the location, shape and size of the tumor, then the biopsy provides information about the cellular composition, on the basis of which the final diagnosis is made. This is very important for understanding the type (benign or malignant) and type of tumor, which determines the prognosis and treatment plan.

Sometimes a brain tumor can be the first symptom of tumors in other organs. If the doctor has suspicions of this nature, the patient undergoes additional tests to identify potential cancer diseases.

Treatment

Treatment of brain cancer is a complex task, the solution of which consists of several stages. In most cases, the first step is to surgically remove as much of the tumor tissue as possible. The ideal option is to remove the entire tumor, which, unfortunately, is difficult to achieve.

The next stage of therapy is aimed at destroying the remaining malignant cells in the body. To do this, the patient is prescribed a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, radiosurgery or targeted therapy, as well as their combinations. These measures also help reduce the risk of recurrence (tumor growth again).

During radiotherapy a beam of active particles is focused at the location of the tumor. Radiation causes the death of cancer cells. If the tumor is large, then this procedure is performed before surgery in order to reduce the tumor. This makes it much easier to remove. As a rule, radiotherapy is carried out in several courses. In some cases, proton therapy is used instead of radiotherapy. This method is very similar to the previous one. The main difference: cell death is provoked not by electromagnetic radiation, but by a flow of protons.

A real breakthrough in medicine was stereotactic radiosurgery, which has nothing in common with the classical understanding of the term “surgery”. This is a type of radiotherapy. But unlike classical methods, the beam is concentrated directly on the tumor without affecting healthy cells.

Chemotherapy refers to the introduction of drugs into the body that cause the death of cancer cells. The selection of the drug and the method of administration are approached individually. The patient can take medications in the form of tablets or intravenous injections. The implantation method is also now used. It involves placing a small disc at the site of the tumor after it has been removed, which releases a drug that kills cancer cells.

Targeted therapy is an incredibly promising method of treating cancer, including the brain: drugs act on specific molecules inside the cancer cell, as a result of which it dies. Healthy cells are not affected by the drug because they do not have such molecules. Compared to chemotherapy, targeted therapy has far fewer side effects.

Rehabilitation after treatment

Since tumors can affect areas of the brain responsible for motor skills, speech, vision, thinking, rehabilitation can become a mandatory stage of treatment that will help a person return to normal life. Depending on the type of problem, the doctor may prescribe:

Physical therapy to restore muscle strength, coordination and balance;

Classes with a speech therapist;

Working with a psychologist who will help you cope with depression, negative emotions, return to everyday life, work or study, and also help restore memory and thinking skills.

Some patients must take anticonvulsant medications regularly to prevent seizures.

Malignant brain tumors are very prone to relapse. Therefore, patients undergo regular examinations, and when the first symptoms appear, they should consult a doctor without waiting for a scheduled consultation.

Alternative medicine

There are no effective alternative treatments. However, acupuncture, hypnosis, meditation, music therapy, and relaxation exercises help to cope with the disease more easily and live a more fulfilling life.

Lifestyle

After treatment for brain cancer, many changes occur in a person's life. He really needs the support of friends and family, help in adaptation. It may be necessary to adapt home conditions to the person’s needs, and at first help with household tasks.

You will have to give up contact sports that can lead to head injuries (boxing, volleyball). It is not recommended to swim alone for about one year due to the high risk of seizures.

After treatment, rehabilitation and a doctor’s report, you can return to driving.

Forecast

The prognosis for malignant brain tumors will depend on the type of tumor, its location, age and general health.

The probability of living more than 5 years for people with primary stage 3-4 cancer varies from 10% to 32% (with complex treatment).

Prevention

Doctors around the world are conducting multiple studies on the causes of brain cancer. Until they are known, it is impossible to develop preventive measures. Early diagnosis can significantly increase the chances of recovery. Therefore, timely consultation with a doctor, especially if you are at risk, is mandatory.

Symptoms when diagnosed with a brain tumor can usually be noticed. The disease itself is significantly different from all other types of neoplasms. The main problem of diagnosis is the failure to find a brain tumor and therefore it is quite difficult to begin treatment in a timely manner. As a result, the chance of recovery is significantly hampered, and sometimes treatment becomes completely useless due to the development of stage 4 cancer.

The reasons why you should contact an oncology specialist are various symptoms. Currently, due to the active development of science and medicine, doctors can clearly identify which potential problems indicate the presence of potential problems. This allows you to detect cancer in its early stages and get rid of it.

Development process and types of disease

All brain cancers form directly from brain cells. Their formation is associated with practically uncontrolled cell division.

The tumor itself greatly increases in size and spreads to all the brain tissues that are adjacent to it. Of course, tumors that are benign cannot metastasize to other organs, but are localized exclusively in the affected part of the brain. But due to the fact that the skull is small, this tumor develops and becomes cancerous.

It is customary to divide the disease according to two main criteria:

Primary view. In this case, a brain tumor is formed directly from the tissues and meninges.
Secondary view. A tumor is formed when metastatic cells exist in neighboring organs.

All cancer symptoms related to a brain tumor are usually divided based on the composition of the cells. There are more than 100 different types of this disease. They, in turn, are combined into 12 special categories.

The most common are:

neuroepithelial, which are usually found in almost 2/3 of all patients. Formed from tissues in brain cells;
, which are formed under the influence of the division of the lining of the brain;
pituitary, which are formed from the process of cell division of the pituitary gland;
the lesions are located outside the brain, which indicates the metastatic nature of the neoplasm;
dysembryogenetic, which are formed during the process of incorrect cell division in other organs.

A brain tumor, one way or another, differentiates from healthy cells. When the level of identity is high, it is easy to diagnose the disease. When diseased cells differ from healthy ones, disease occurs very quickly.

When not one, but several levels of differentiation are identified in a tumor, then the process of disease development is determined by the infected cells.

Main stages of tumor development

As already described above, any oncological disease, including a brain tumor, has several stages of its own development. All symptoms of cancer in the early stages can be characterized by the fact that the infected cells are located within the boundaries of the tumor. With further development, the cells begin to spread to other organs.

By primary tumor we mean that the disease develops directly in the brain tissues and areas that are as close as possible. Characterized by the presence of certain mutations in cells. Deviations of this type are an important factor that contributes to the development of infected cells.

A metastatic tumor appears due to the process of malignancy in absolutely any part of the human body and subsequently penetrates the brain. This type is very dangerous and people get sick with it much more often than with other types of tumors.

The main causes of brain tumors

Today, modern science cannot give a complete answer to the question of how exactly the human brain is structured and functions. As a result, in the past, the main causes of such tumors included various mechanical head injuries, smoking, and infectious diseases. However, there is no confirmation of this, and modern research rather refutes these speculations.

Symptoms of a brain tumor in adults, according to scientific data, mainly have the following prerequisites:

poor heredity; an extremely serious factor is whether relatives have had cancer in the past;
activities that are directly related to active and close contact with chemicals;
radiation exposure of an ionizing nature, which greatly affects the body and dramatically increases the chances of cancer;
age - the older the patient, the greater the likelihood of getting sick; the main risk group is over 45 years old;
past medical history of immediate family members.

For all types of tumor diseases, all symptoms are divided into two fundamental types: general cerebral and focal.

General cerebral symptoms are quite typical for almost all types of cancer, while focal symptoms directly depend on the specific location of the tumor.