Cancer of the brain

Earlier, the diagnosed cancer was a sentence for the patient. Curing such a disease was almost impossible. However, at present, medicine has taken serious steps towards curing such pathologies.

A whole group of pathological conditions falls under the diagnosis of brain cancer. Today, most often malignant neoplasms are classified according to the cellular structures involved in the process. According to the frequency of occurrence of brain tumors, they are far from being in the first place and make up only 6% of the number of malignant tumors.

The causes of the development of brain tumors have not been fully understood to the present. Many doctors are inclined to think that similar pathologies are preceded by a trauma to the skull. There are some signs that indicate a genetic predisposition to the development of malignant neoplasms. However, all these conditions are not etiological aspects, but only contribute to the development of brain cancer.

Signs of this disease are determined by the localization of the tumor process in a specific part of the brain (for example, when the cerebellum is affected, coordination is impaired, while in the visual department, vision deteriorates). The most frequent manifestations are prolonged headache, attacks of dizziness.

Over time, the increasing size of the tumor leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which is manifested by vomiting that does not bring relief. Characteristic signs are also violations of memory, attention and concentration. In addition, brain cancer can lead to the development of mental disorders (delirium and hallucinations).

Epileptiform seizures are also characteristic of this type of pathology. But for the most part, clinical manifestations are nonspecific and are characteristic of a large number of various pathological conditions.

Diagnosis of brain cancer using magnetic resonance imaging, as well as computed tomography, which allows not only to detect the presence of a tumor, but also to visualize it (establish localization).

To establish the morphology of cancer education, a biopsy of the affected brain tissue is necessary. The biopsy study on cytology allows you to set an accurate diagnosis and determine the tactics of treating the patient.

Cancer of the brain is treated in three main ways:

• Surgical (excision of affected tissues);
• Chemotherapeutic (with the use of strong cytostatics and other drugs);
• Radiotherapeutic (by irradiation of affected tissues).

The main of these methods is surgical removal of tissue damaged by the tumor process. It should be noted that not all tumors are operable, some of them can not be surgically treated due to their inaccessibility (large vessels, etc.). Most often in this case, subtotal resection of the tumor is performed (the part that is available for surgical intervention is cut out), the remaining damaged structures are destroyed by exposure to ionizing radiation or chemotherapy.

Particular importance has a time factor. So, the earlier the treatment is started, the higher the probability of complete recovery (the number of possible complications of the tumor is minimized).

Thus, brain cancer is not currently a verdict and a non-treatable disease. However, the prognosis depends on the type of tumor, its location and the extent of the lesion. At the same time, the newly developed highly effective methods and methods of treating malignant neoplasms allow us to look more confidently into the future of medicine.