There are different types of brain tumors. The more common ones are Meningioma, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, and Metastatic brain tumor.
Meningioma
Meningiomas are usually slow growing tumors that grow from the lining of the brain. Because they are usually slow growing, they can become large or disturb the brain before being discovered.
Glioblastomas and Astrocytoma
Glioblastomas and Astrocytoma’s are in the same family. The fastest growing Astrocytoma’s have a special name and are called Glioblastomas. They grow from inside the brain itself.
Metastatic
Metastatic brain tumors usually spread to the brain from another part of the body. When they spread to the brain they may be only one lesion in the brain or sometimes there are more than one.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms vary from person to person. Some of the usual symptoms include headaches, nausea, difficulty with thinking or memory, weakness of one side of the body
DIAGNOSIS
- Medical history: This is done by asking you questions about your symptoms including when they began, if they started gradually or came on all of a sudden, which symptoms are most bothersome and if you have tried any other treatments.
- Physical examination: this sudden by testing if there are parts of your body that are not working properly including your face, arm, legs balance.
- Imaging: Brain tumors are usually diagnosed after a CT scan or MRI of the brain.
TREATMENT THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE SURGERY
Most brain tumors are usually first removed by surgery then treated with chemotherapy or radiation if needed. There are some brain tumors such as those in the pituitary gland, called pituitary adenomas, that can sometimes be treated with medications.
SURGICAL TREATMENT
Surgery for brain tumors usually involves a craniotomy. Here the brain surgeon will open skull, enter the brain and remove the tumor. Sometimes your brain surgeon will perform frameless stereotactic surgery, which is way of using computer, and special instruments to guide the brain surgeon to the tumor.