What are brain tumors?
Brain tumors are growths that develop in or on your brain. They may be cancerous, or they could be benign, which means they don't contain cancer cells.
Metastatic brain tumors are growths that develop when cancer cells spread from other parts of your body. For example, if you have lung cancer and it metastasized, cancer cells could travel to your brain and multiply into a new tumor.
Primary brain tumors are those that develop in your brain without having spread from elsewhere. They rarely metastasize.
What kinds of brain tumors are there?
There are in excess of 150 kinds of brain tumors. Meningiomas are the most common type of benign brain tumor.
Other benign tumors include schwannomas, which affect the protective nerve coverings in your brain, and pituitary adenomas, which affect the pituitary gland.
Gliomas make up the majority of malignant (cancerous) brain tumors – around 78%. Ependymomas are far less common, representing just 2-3%.
Glioblastoma multiforme is a fast-growing form of cancer that penetrates your brain. Acoustic neuromas affect the nerves that communicate information from your ear to your brain and help you balance.
What symptoms could brain tumors cause?
Some of the typical symptoms of brain tumors cause include:
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Nausea or vomiting
- Personality changes
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Changes in your sight or hearing
- Problems with speech
- Being unable to think clearly
- Difficulty swallowing
Brain tumors can sometimes affect your body, too, such as causing weakness affecting one side.
How are brain tumors treated?
The treatment Dr. Kim recommends for your brain tumor varies depending on factors like the size and type of tumor, its location, and how far it extends into your brain.
In general, Dr. Kim performs surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. In some cases, it might be necessary to leave some tissue behind if there's a risk of surgical removal affecting your brain function.
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy often follow surgery. If the tumor is inoperable, you might need to undergo stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). This involves having advanced radiation therapy that precisely targets the tumor.
If you're concerned about a brain tumor, call the office of Richard Kim MD MS Inc or schedule an appointment online today.
