Brain Tumour Treatment
A brain tumour is an uncontrolled cellular growth and multiplication in the abnormal mass of brain tissue or nearby locations such as nerves, the pineal gland, the pituitary gland, and the membranes covering the brain surface. It is even known as an intracranial tumour. There are more than 150 different brain tumours documented so far.
Types of Brain Tumours
Brain tumours are broadly of two types: Primary (Benign) and Secondary (Metastatic).
Primary Brain tumours
These are the tumours that originate from the brain tissues or their immediate surroundings. They may be composed of glial cells or developed on or in the brain structures, including the blood vessels, nerves, and glands. Such non-cancerous brain tumours may grow over time and place pressure on the brain tissues. The benign brain tumours are further categorised into the following types:
- Chordomas- These are slow-growing brain tumours mostly prevalent in people of age group 50-60 at the base of the skull or in the lower spine.
- Gangliocystomas/ gangliogliomas- These are rare tumours that include neoplastic nerve cells. Mostly, they occur in young adults.
- Craniopharyngiomas- These tumours are located deep in the brain usually arising from a portion of the pituitary gland and so difficult to be removed.
- Meningiomas- These are the most common type of benign brain tumours originating from meninges.
- Glomus jugulare- These are the most common form of glomus tumour that typically are located just beneath the skull base, at the top of the jugular vein.
- Pituitary adenomas-These are the tumours located at the anterior portion of the pituitary gland and are mostly benign.
- Pineocytomas- These tumours originate from the pineal cells, predominantly present in adults.
- Schwannomas- These brain tumours arise along the nerves and comprise cells that provide electrical insulation to the nerve cells in adults.
At Arete Hospitals, the Best Brain Tumour Surgery in Hyderabad is provided by an expert team of neurosurgeons and oncosurgeons, offering effective treatment and surgical approaches for all types of tumours.
Secondary Brain tumours
These are the tumours that migrate to the brain from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream. They can quickly grow and the brain cancer cells can invade and destroy the brain tissues. Gliomas are the most prevalent brain tumours in adults and are majorly metastatic. Glial tumours are of different types, including:
- Astrocytomas- These brain tumours are most common and develop from star-shaped glial cells called astrocytes- a portion of the brain’s supportive tissues.
- Ependymomas- These brain tumours are derived from the neoplastic transformation of the ependymal cells
- Glioblastoma multiforme- These are the most invasive type of glial tumours comprising astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
- Medulloblastoma- They are high-grade brain tumours that usually originate in the cerebellum and are mostly seen in children.
- Oligodendrogliomas- These brain tumours arise from myelin-creating cells.
Other types include hemangioblastomas (originating from blood vessels commonly located in the blood vessels) and rhabdoid tumours (rare, aggressive brain tumours that can spread throughout the central nervous system).
For more details consult Best Brain Tumour Treatment Doctors in Hyderabad at Arete Hospitals.
Causes of Brain Tumour
Primary brain tumours develop because of changes in the DNA of the cells in the brain or near it. These DNA changes instruct the cells to quickly grow and live while other healthy cells would eventually die naturally. This results in the production of extra brain cells, forming an unusual growth in the brain called a brain tumour.
Secondary brain tumours happen because of the spread of other cancers, commonly breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and melanoma to the brain. They usually happen in people having a history of cancer and are mostly seen in adults.
Risk factors That Increase the Chances of Brain Tumour
- Age- Brain tumours are most often seen in older adults. Some brain tumours are common in children while some mostly affect adults.
- Radiation exposure- Those who have been exposed to ionising radiation may suffer from DNA changes that lead to an increased risk of a brain tumour. The strong radiation exposure is usually from chemotherapy.
- Race- Although, brain tumours can happen to anyone. Gliomas are more common among white people while meningiomas are mostly seen in black people.
- Inherited syndromes- Some inherited DNA changes can increase the risk of brain tumours. These include Li-Fraumeni syndrome, neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, familial adenomatous polyposis, tuberous sclerosis, Cowden syndrome, Lynch syndrome, Gorlin syndrome, and Von Hippel-Lindau disease.
Symptoms of Brain Tumour
The symptoms of brain tumours depend upon their location. The common symptoms seen in different brain tumours include:
- Headaches, especially severe in the morning or night
- Seizures or convulsions
- Changes in personality
- Difficulty in speaking, thinking, or articulating
- Changes in vision or hearing
- Facial tingling sensation or numbness
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Disorientation or confusion
- Troubled swallowing
- Nausea or vomiting.
If you or your family members are experiencing these symptoms, please consult the best Spine & Neurosurgeon in Hyderabad at Arete Hospitals for more details on the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours. These signs must not be ignored as they can be fatal.
Diagnosis of Brain Tumour
Brain tumours are diagnosed through medical imaging tests, typically a brain CT (Computed tomography) scan followed by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of the brain. The imaging helps Brain Tumour Surgery Doctors in Hyderabad identify various types of brain tumours and determine the size and location of the tumour, as well as their special characteristics. It even helps identify any complications that could prompt treatment, such as swelling in the brain or loss of movement/speech.
Other than using imaging, diagnosis involves:
- Medical evaluation of the symptoms
- A thorough neurological, physical, and eye examination
- Microscopic analysis of brain tumour cells that are taken from tumour tissue samples at the time of biopsy or other surgery
- Molecular testing for change in tumour genes and other specifics of tumours.
Brain Tumour Treatment in Hyderabad
There are different treatment options for brain tumours depending upon factors such as:
- Size and location of brain tumour
- Type of brain tumour and its grade/severity
- The patient’s age and general health
- Patient’s goals and preferences
- Need of the patient to protect brain functioning.
The potential treatment modalities for brain tumours are:
Surgery- The complete or partial removal of a brain tumour is generally accepted to be beneficial for most patients. A traditional surgical approach is craniotomy to open the skull and remove the tumour as much as possible. Stereotactic biopsy is commonly performed in small operations to collect tissue samples for biopsy. Nowadays, there are surgical navigation systems available to even operate brain tumours that earlier were difficult to surgically remove. Some patients may need ventriculoperitoneal shunting to divert the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and reduce pressure in the brain.
Radiation therapy- This treatment utilises high-energy X-rays to heat kill the cancer cells and abnormal brain cells, and ultimately shrink the brain tumours. It is preferred when surgical removal is not effective.
Chemotherapy- This treatment is generally effective for specific paediatric tumours such as oligodendrogliomas and lymphomas. It works by causing cell damage that is repaired better by normal tissue instead of brain tumour tissue. For more details on Treatment of Brain Cancer in Hyderabad, consult the experts at Arete Hospitals.
Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy/ Laser thermal ablation- This is an advanced approach that some doctors are using to treat small brain tumours, particularly in areas that are hard to reach by open surgery. The procedure involves placing a tiny catheter within the lesion and then using a laser to thermally ablate it.
Investigational therapies- There are many newer treatments currently under research for brain tumours. That’s mainly for brain tumours where the prognosis is generally poor through traditional treatments. But it’s not confirmed that such therapies would work out. The investigational therapies include anti-angiogenesis therapy, various kinds of immunotherapies, gene therapy, therapy using targeted toxins, and differentiation therapy. For some patients, a combination of treatments may be needed to improve their outlook while reducing the potential adverse side effects.
To determine the most suitable Brain Tumour Treatment in Hyderabad for your specific condition, consult the experts at Arete Hospitals.
1. How long does it take for a brain tumour to grow?
Brain tumours, particularly benign brain tumours grow slowly. Doctors may safely monitor brain tumours for months or even years rather than immediately removing them surgically. However, malignant brain tumours are more aggressive and fast-growing and so they likely need to be quickly treated.
2. Can brain tumours spread?
There are rare cases where brain tumours can spread. It happens in the case of malignant brain tumours when cells move or metastasize to the spine. These cancerous cases can be treated.
3. What is the brain tumour surgery cost?
The Brain Tumour Surgery cost in Hyderabad varies depending on the type of concern, treatment provided, surgeon's expertise, and available technology.
Consult Arete Hospitals experts now for more details on insurance plan coverage and the overall cost of the procedure in detail.
