Primary brain tumours develop in the brain and are caused by aberrant changes in brain cells known as mutations. These tumours might be cancerous or non-cancerous (noncancerous). Even benign tumours, on the other hand, can harm normal brain tissue and create catastrophic difficulties.

Benign tumours develop slowly and are more likely to respond to surgery or other therapies. Malignant brain tumours are more aggressive and develop quicker.

A secondary brain tumour, also known as brain metastasis, occurs when cancer spreads from another part of the body to the brain. All cancers, including lung cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer, and breast cancer, can spread to the brain. Primary brain tumours are less prevalent than these cancers.

What causes cancer in the brain?

There is no known cause for brain tumours or cancer in the brain. The chances of acquiring primary brain cancer are quite slim.

While brain cancer risk factors are less well characterised than other cancers, several genetic and environmental variables may play a role in the disease's development. Among the risk factors are:

Immune system dysfunction

Genetic linkages have been discovered in families with a history of uncommon brain cancers, such as Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and neurofibromatosis (NF1 and NF2).

Chemical contamination from chemical products or solvents

Earlier radiation therapy

Who is affected by brain cancer?

The likelihood of acquiring brain cancer rises with age, the with majority of instances occurring in adults 65 and older. This varies depending on the cell kind and location of the tumour.

Meningiomas, for example, are thrice as likely to form in women, but medulloblastomas, which are most commonly identified in youngsters, are more commonly detected in males.

Chemical exposure may contribute to a greater incidence of some brain cancers in persons who work in oil refining, rubber production, and medicine manufacturing, according to a cancer study.

Types of brain cancer and tumours

According to the National Brain Tumor Society, there are over 120 different forms of brain tumours. Glioblastoma multiforme, for example, is a malignant brain tumour that can develop quickly. Meningiomas and schwannomas, for example, are slow-growing and benign brain tumours.

Gliomas, which start in the glial (supporting) tissue, are the most prevalent kind of primary brain tumour. This kind of cell is responsible for around a third of all primary brain tumours and other nervous system malignancies.

The following are examples of brain tumours:

• Astrocytomas
• Ependymomas
• Oligodendroglioma
• Gliomas mixed
• Pituitary tumours
• Carcinomas of the pituitary gland
• Craniopharyngiomas
• Tumours of germ cells
• Tumours of the pineal
• Medulloblastomas

Symptoms of brain cancer

The symptoms of brain cancer vary depending on which areas of the brain are damaged and which functioning systems. A tumour near the optic nerve, for example, may cause visual issues. The capacity to concentrate and think may be harmed by a tumour in the front section of the brain. A tumour in a part of the brain that governs motor function can produce paralysis, numbness, and speech problems.

Brain cancer symptoms include:

A headache that intensifies over time and fluctuates based on the time of day and location of the head

• Seizures
• Numbness
• Vomiting or nausea
• Memory problems
• Muscle wasting
• Speech problems

Even noncancerous tumours can cause harm to normal cells in the surrounding brain tissue, nerves, and blood vessels.

Brain cancer diagnosis

The following tools are used by doctors to diagnose brain cancer:

• Biopsy
• Advanced genomic testing, which searches for DNA abnormalities that may be causing a tumour to develop, is one example of a laboratory test.
• Bone scan using nuclear medicine
• Angiography
• Imaging using magnetic resonance (MRI)
• CT scan (computed tomography)
• PET scan (positron emission tomography)