6 lesser-known facts about brain tumors
It’s completely natural to be concerned about the possibility of you or a loved one developing a brain tumor. Fortunately, not all brain tumors are cancerous, and some don’t even require immediate treatment.
Dr. David Straus, a neurosurgeon at Aurora Health Care, says there are six facts you may not know about brain tumors:
1. Brain tumors are fairly common.
About 0.6% of the population will develop some type of brain cancer in their lifetime.
2. Brain tumors don’t necessarily cause headaches.
The brain itself doesn’t have pain receptors. People may develop brain tumor-related headaches when the tumor is large and takes up too much space or when the tumor is affecting the surrounding structures near the brain that have sensation.
3. Brain tumors don’t need to be cancerous to require surgery.
Even benign tumors can take up too much space in the brain. Surgery is offered for both benign and malignant tumors based on their location in the brain and one’s symptoms.
4. One common tumor is a benign meningioma.
Meningiomas grow on one of the outer protective membranes of the brain. Meningiomas are benign, but they may require surgery when they grow or start to press on the nearby brain.
5. Brain tumors can be discovered incidentally.
Sometimes people who don’t have symptoms learn they have a brain tumor when they have an MRI or CT scan to evaluate another problem, such as a head injury.
However, when the tumors do lead to symptoms, people may experience headaches, nausea and vomiting, imbalance, seizures, weakness on one side of the body, and difficulty with speech, hearing or vision. Often surgical treatment is recommended for symptomatic tumors.
6. Chemotherapy isn’t the most common treatment for brain tumors.
The most common treatments for brain tumors are surgery and a specific form of radiation called stereotactic radiosurgery. Many chemotherapy drugs do not work on brain tumors because they do not reach the brain. But health care providers are gaining more experience with treating some brain tumors with immunotherapy and targeted therapy that both attack specific parts of tumor cells.
Are you trying to find a neurologist? Find one in Illinois or Wisconsin.
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About the Author
Jo Linsley, a health enews contributor, is a freelance copywriter at Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care. With decades of experience in writing and editing, she continues to aspire to concise and inspiring writing. She also enjoys knitting and singing as creative outlets and for their meditative qualities.
