home Audience 5 Main symptoms and signs of brain cancer. The first symptoms of brain cancer Symptoms of a brain tumor in the early stages signs

Main symptoms and signs of brain cancer. The first symptoms of brain cancer Symptoms of a brain tumor in the early stages signs

Today, oncological diseases occupy a leading position among all pathologies. Among cancer diseases, patients with brain cancer account for approximately 2% of the total number of cancer patients. Symptoms of brain cancer are similar to migraines and meningitis, which is why diagnosing oncology in the early stages is very difficult. In addition, even if a brain tumor is detected, doctors are wary of removing it, because any intervention in the skull can result in dire and irreversible consequences.

The prognosis is favorable only if the patient is diagnosed with brain cancer at an early stage. The latest techniques used for patients at the oncology center make it possible to diagnose the presence of a tumor in a timely manner.

Classification of tumor processes

Tumors are distinguished:

benign course;
malignant course.

Benign neoplasms remain passive after completion of growth. They do not metastasize, that is, they do not have the ability to grow into other organs and tissues. The formation is in a capsule or has clear boundaries. Such a tumor is completely removed through surgery.

Primary tumor. At this stage of development of brain cancer, symptoms in the early stages are mild, but upon diagnosis and genetic analysis it turns out that the DNA cells are mutating. It is the mutagenic cellular change that gives impetus to the growth of the tumor.
Metastatic tumor. In this case, the neoplasm occurs in any organs and tissues, and metastases grow into the brain. That is why the concept of brain cancer does not exist as such. There is a tumor that is the result of malignancy in another organ, for example, in the lungs or stomach. This is the most common type of oncology.

There are 4 stages of development of malignant tumors:

Stage: At this stage, the growth of the neoplasm is slowed down, the cells of the body are slightly changed. The first signs of brain cancer are mild; a person may experience dizziness and weakness. There may be a slight decrease in brain activity and the manifestation of neurological disorders. At stage 1, the formation is removed through surgery. Such a brain tumor is discovered by chance, during an examination for a completely different disease.
Stage: At this stage, the tumor begins to grow and connect with other tissues of the body. Oncologists perform surgery with a very favorable outcome. Next, the patient undergoes rehabilitation measures and examinations that help control the risk of a possible relapse. At stage 2, a malignant brain tumor begins to manifest itself with frequent headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
The stage is characterized by the progression of tumor growth, which affects neighboring tissues. Surgical treatment at this stage does not bear fruit at all, since the number of malignant cells in the body reaches its maximum value.
The stage is incurable. Stage 4 brain cancer affects the entire brain, the prognosis is extremely unfavorable. A person “melts before our eyes,” loses weight, and suffers from severe headaches. In order to somehow alleviate the patient’s plight, he is injected with potent drugs containing narcotic substances.

The first signs of brain cancer are mild; usually a person confuses them with mild malaise or fatigue. Let us consider in more detail what symptoms of a brain tumor in the early stages should alert a person.

First symptoms

Diagnosis of brain cancer is usually carried out based on patient complaints. The insidiousness of the disease lies in late access to doctors. People do not turn to oncologists until the last minute, citing the fact that everyone has a headache.

The first symptoms of cancer, regardless of degree, appear:

The further the disease progresses, the more severe the above symptoms appear. With stage 4 or 3 brain cancer, neurological disorders such as loss of consciousness and epileptic seizures are associated. Vision and hearing become dull. When you should seek help, whether to treat brain cancer and what is the diagnosis of the disease, we will find out further.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of brain cancer begins with a complete examination of the patient and includes laboratory, instrumental and clinical research methods. First of all, the doctor conducts a survey of the patient, which consists of finding out complaints, symptoms, lifestyle and life history. Next, the patient is sent for a basic examination. The patient must undergo:

When performing surgery at stages 1 and 2, the formation is completely removed, which contributes to the patient’s complete recovery. Symptoms disappear after excision of the benign neoplasm. Regardless of the nature of the tumor, the removed material is sent for histological examination.

To reduce the risk of damage to healthy tissue, stereostatic radiosurgery is used. This method involves delivering a stream of rays directly to the location of the tumor. Modern techniques significantly shorten the rehabilitation period.

Before surgery, the patient is prescribed a course of drug therapy, including:

anticonvulsants;
steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

To reduce intracranial pressure, shunting is performed.

Treatment of brain cancer with radiation therapy is applicable to patients who are unable to undergo surgery, or after surgical treatment to prevent a possible relapse.

At stages 3 and 4, radiation therapy is the main treatment method for patients. Contraindications to the complex procedure are pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

The goal of radiation therapy is to destroy malignant cells, which are the provocateurs of the re-development of the disease. During the procedure, not only cancer cells, but also healthy cells die, so the patient’s condition requires more careful monitoring. The dose of radiation supplied is selected by the doctor. It all depends on the location of the tumor process and the age of the patient.

Radiation therapy is carried out using 2 methods:

External radiation therapy. It involves exposing the patient’s body to high doses of radiation for several minutes. The procedure is carried out 5 times a week, after each session the patient goes home.
Brachytherapy. Carried out in a hospital setting. A radioactive component is injected into the tumor tissue, which promotes the disintegration of the tumor from the inside. The dose is selected depending on the size of the tumor; the rays should not affect healthy tissue.

Chemotherapy

This technique is not the basis of therapy for oncology. The fact is that chemotherapy has a detrimental effect on the function of hematopoiesis and the epithelial tissue of the digestive tract.

The chemotherapy regimen is selected by a specialist based on the size of the formation.

For therapeutic purposes the following is used:

antimetabolites;
alkylating group preparations;
synthetic antibacterial agents.

A course of medication is prescribed. Medicines are administered by injection, taken orally, or delivered into the body using a cerebrospinal fluid shunt. Breaks are taken between procedures to evaluate the therapy.

Endoscopic treatment

Surgery using an endoscope allows you to remove the tumor without additional trauma to nearby tissues. The advantage of this method is the absence of incisions and a difficult postoperative period. Why be afraid to do craniotomy? Because no doctor will give you a 100% guarantee of the patient’s complete recovery. And with endoscopic surgery, interventions in the body are minimal. Pituitary adenoma is successfully removed. In this case, the endoscope is inserted through the nose (transnasal endoscopy). It is also possible to remove a cyst or hematoma if its size allows for intervention.

Forecast

The outcome of treatment depends on the severity and stage of the disease. Diagnostics is no less revealing. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the higher the likelihood of recovery for the patient. With timely treatment, the number of survivors over a five-year course of the disease is 60–80%. When presenting in the final stages of cancer, the chance of survival for 5 years is only 30%.

Knowing what brain cancer is and its main symptoms can help you and your loved ones recognize the disease in the early stages of development.

Signs and symptoms of brain cancer vary widely and can be similar to other illnesses such as stroke, migraine or concussion. The short-term appearance of several symptoms and their subsequent disappearance cannot always be considered a sign of a tumor.

Common initial signs of brain cancer

Brain cancer is a fairly rare disease - 1.5% of all types of malignant neoplasms.

The most striking sign of brain cancer is headache, which intensifies and worsens with any physical stress. Frequent headaches in the morning or at night do not stop even under the influence of medications. When standing, the sensation of pain fades somewhat. Movements of the body and neck only increase the pain. As the disease progresses, the pain in the head does not stop. But even this symptom is often absent in patients with early stages of brain cancer.

The initial stage of the disease may be asymptomatic.

Another symptom – dizziness – can also be considered a sign of brain carcinoma, especially if it is felt regardless of the patient’s position and does not go away for a long time. Dizziness is explained by transformation in the pituitary gland or increased intracranial pressure due to a tumor.

Common signs of brain cancer include a feeling of weakness in the limbs and joints. As the disease progresses, this symptom can develop into paresis or even paralysis.

An accompanying symptom of brain cancer is blurred vision. This symptom can manifest itself in the form of “floaters” in front of the eyes, spots and soreness of the eyeball. Nystagmus of the eyeball is also considered a frequent sign of a tumor at an early stage.

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Hearing problems can be alarming. They appear as unexplained deafness on one side or ringing in the ears.

The headache may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which appears regardless of food intake. In vomit, which may occur after eating, there are undigested pieces of food; the presence of bile may indicate that the patient has not eaten for a long time. The main feature of this symptom is the lack of relief after vomiting.

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Other signs that a patient may experience with brain cancer may include:

spasms of the limbs. The whole body, not just the limbs, can be involved in the process, and in some cases the patient may lose consciousness with a short-term cessation of breathing;
problems with remembering;
loss of ability to parse received information;
loss of concentration;
perception of events in the wrong way.

To all of the above, you can add such symptoms as: causeless changes in pressure, changes in pulse, sweating, pallor and swelling of the skin or the appearance of abundant spots on it.

Important! If a person has several of the above signs, and the pain is prolonged, intense, and more pronounced on one side, then suspicions of brain cancer are justified.

Often a brain tumor begins to manifest itself in the initial stages with nonspecific symptoms. There are similar signs in some other diseases that are associated with the activity of the central nervous system, the muscular system, and internal organs.

On a note! Brain cancer has the ability to spread to nearby tissues, negatively affecting the functioning of brain structures. This is expressed by psychological, vegetative and intellectual disorders.

All signs of brain pathology are divided into two broad groups:

General cerebral signs	Focal signs
Disturbance of sleep and wakefulness patterns. A person sleeps most of the time. After waking up, he is unable to orient himself in time and space, his thoughts are usually confused, and there is no recognition of the people around him.	When the tumor is localized in the motor cortex, paresis or paralysis is observed. Usually only part of the body is affected. Different types of hallucinations: auditory– if the temporal part of the brain is involved in the tumor process, visual– when the tumor is located in the occipital region, olfactory(inability to detect odors) – with damage to the anterior parts of the frontal lobe.
Headaches of a bursting nature. After using diuretics, the pain decreases, but does not go away completely. The maximum pain occurs in the morning hours. This is due to swelling of the meninges during sleep	Vision deteriorates and there may be double vision, difficulties appear in determining the shape and size of surrounding objects, as well as problems with their recognition. Running pupil syndrome appears.
Negative reaction of the organs of vision to light: sudden closure of the eyelids, pain in the eyes, tears, etc.	Inability to write. Poor understanding of the meaning of the text. Difficulties arise with thinking. Psychological disorders are observed: irritability, aggressiveness.
Dizziness. The patient experiences a feeling of “wobbly feet,” when the soil underfoot feels soft or sinks.	Virtually no coordination of movement: unsteadiness when walking or standing. Lack of sensation in some areas of the body
	Autonomic disorders: increased sweating, frequent fainting due to low blood pressure. When the pineal or pituitary gland is involved in the cancer process, hormonal disruptions may occur.
	Hearing problems. Sometimes - deafness. Inability to recognize or pronounce certain sounds or words

Primary neurological signs of cancer

Early symptoms of brain cancer include neurological and mental disorders, which are expressed by apathy, followed by short-term euphoria, memory loss and causeless aggression. Such symptoms may include: confusion, disturbances in orientation in space and time, various manifestations of personality transformation, visual and auditory, rapidly increasing signs of complete disorganization of a person’s mental activity.

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Causes of brain cancer

The exact causes of the disease are unclear, but there are a number of factors that precede the onset of brain cancer:

long-term exposure to radioactive radiation;
regular contact with chemicals;
cranial trauma;
hereditary predisposition;
alcohol and tobacco consumption;
diseases that affect the body’s protective functions (primarily HIV).

The risk of disease is also high in the following categories:

children under 8 years old;
adult patients over 65 years of age;
liquidators of events at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant;
patients who have had internal organ transplants;
undergoing chemotherapy for the treatment of any type of tumor.

Types of brain cancer and its stages

There is a large qualification of the disease. Depending on the location, brain cancer can be:

intracerebral. The tumor is located in the brain;
extracerebral. In this case, cancer cells do not affect the brain cavity, but its membranes and cranial nerves;
intraventricular. Cancer spreads to the cerebral ventricles.

Based on etiology, the following brain diseases are distinguished:

primary. Arising due to mutation of cells located in the skull. Abnormal changes may affect nerve fibers, bones, blood vessels that supply the brain, etc. Such tumors are divided into 2 large groups: gliomas and non-gliomas;
secondary. These tumors develop against the background of metastases from other internal organs.

Primary tumors are of the following types:

astrocytoma. Cancer arises from the brain's supporting cells, astrocytes. Men are more susceptible to this type of disease;
oligodendroglioma. A rather rare type of pathology, develops due to a mutation of oligodendrocytes;
mixed gliomas. This type is most often diagnosed. The reason is the transformation of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes;
CNS lymphomas. With this anomaly, cancer cells are located in the lymph vessels that are located in the skull. This type of tumor often occurs against the background of weak body defenses or after transplantation of internal organs;
pituitary adenomas. This cancer rarely becomes malignant. It is more often diagnosed in women and is characterized by disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system: increased hair growth, prolonged wound healing, and obesity. In children, such a neoplasm manifests itself in the form of gigantism;
. This cancer quickly develops from mutated cells of the arachnoid membrane of the brain and can metastasize;
ependymoma. The cells that are responsible for the production of cerebrospinal fluid mutate. They come in these types:
1. highly differentiated. They grow rather slowly and metastasis does not occur;
2. moderately differentiated. The tumor grows faster than with highly differentiated neoplasms, but also does not cause metastasis;
3. anaplastic. Tumor cells multiply quickly and metastasize.

There are 4 stages of cancer:

Stage 1. Abnormal cells are non-aggressive and do not tend to spread. Due to mild symptoms, diagnosing the disease at this stage is problematic.

Stage 2. Cell growth begins and cell degradation increases. The tumor process involves nearby blood vessels, tissues, and lymph nodes. Surgery does not always lead to the desired results.

Stage 3. Patients complain of frequent severe headaches, dizziness, and fever. Sometimes they may experience disorientation in space, decreased vision, and nausea and vomiting are common. The prognosis for this stage of the brain is generally unfavorable; the tumor is often not operated on.

Stage 4. Headaches become intense and constant, and are difficult to stop. Fainting, hallucinations, and epileptic seizures may occur. Due to the active spread of metastases, there may be disturbances in the functioning of the lungs and liver. The tumor at this stage is inoperable, treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms.

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Cancer lesions in different lobes of the brain

Symptoms of brain cancer vary depending on what part of the brain is affected. With a tumor of the pituitary gland or brain stem, movement coordination problems occur, the ability to concentrate is greatly reduced, and double vision may occur. Other signs include an inability to determine the distance to an object and an unsteady gait.

Sometimes manifestations are possible in the form of difficulty moving the tongue, painful sensations when swallowing, as well as disturbances in the functioning of facial muscles or their paresis. When the cerebellum is damaged, these signs are added: spasms in the back of the head, nausea, vomiting, nystagmus.

Temporal lobe cancer

If the temporal lobes are damaged (one or both at once), the patient may experience auditory agnosia, mental impairment (which is expressed in a lack of understanding of what is said, the inability to take dictation, read, speech impairment), amnesia, anxiety and inexplicable fear. A patient with temporal lobe lesions may become depressed.

Other signs of temporal lobe damage may include:

severe headaches,
taste and olfactory distortions;
causeless fainting;
affective disorders such as exaltation;
the so-called state of “déjà vu” (it seems that I have already seen this).

Occipital brain cancer

Lesions of the occipital part are expressed in visual impairment (the centers that correct its functions are located here). Agnosia is added to the decline in vision (the recognition process is disrupted) - the patient does not recognize colors, letters or objects in general. Inability to recognize letters causes impairment in the ability to write. There is a violation of orientation in the room, on the street, problems arise with the use of maps, watches, and diagrams.

When damage occurs to the parieto-occipital region of the brain at the border with the temporal lobes, the patient exhibits a violation of the memorization of words denoting objects.

Parietal lobe cancer

Cancer damage to this part of the brain causes disturbances in the perception and production of speech - aphasia. A disorder of motor coordination is also diagnosed, it becomes impossible to identify an object by touch, and the idea of the tactile image of an object is weakened (astereognosia). This symptom is caused by damage to the secondary cortical fields in the parietal lobe of the brain, which leads to a loss of the ability to analyze sensations.

The first clear sign of a tumor in the parietal lobe is a violation of ideas about one’s own body, which is expressed in a deceptive feeling of the presence of several limbs, an increase or decrease in one’s parts.

Frontal lobe brain cancer

Tumors of different parts of the frontal lobe of the brain affect the mental state of the patient. This part of the brain is responsible for the regulation of intelligence, the process of performing one or another action, and is responsible for a person’s ability to make decisions. In practice, this can be motor persistence (the patient cannot interrupt the action in time and continues to perform it), for example, instead of one circle, the patient will draw a whole bunch of circles.

Spelling will also become a problem, especially with a homogeneous combination of letters. The patient's speech is greatly impoverished, he becomes too silent, or, conversely, too verbose. Typically, the emotional state of such a person becomes inadequate and is characterized by psychomotor agitation. In addition, the patient finds himself disoriented in time, his location, and even in his own personality.

Diagnosis of the disease

An accurate diagnosis is made using the following types of examination:

MRI and CT. They help to find the exact location of the tumor or metastasis, the size of the tumor;
positron emission tomography. This type of diagnosis helps to identify distant problems;
angiography (CTA, MRA) examines the blood vessels of the brain to assess the risk of bleeding during surgery;
radioisotope scanning. This study specifies the location of the tumor and its size, and also gives doctors detailed information about the organ;
biopsy together with craniotomy. A portion of the cancerous tumor is removed for examination.

How long do you live with brain cancer?

Gliomas are not curable. Life expectancy depends on the location and stage of cancer formation. When cancer is diagnosed in the early stages and treated adequately, the 5-year survival rate is about 60-80%. With late diagnosis, the percentage is much lower - 30-40%. In some cases, due to severe brain damage, the patient may fall into a coma.

Content

A tumor is a pathology in which uncontrolled division of brain cells occurs, resulting in the formation of a mass of tissue. The progression of the disease is accompanied by increased blood flow in the organ, increased intracranial pressure and the manifestation of the first symptoms of oncology.

Types of tumor

Brain cancer is a malignant neoplasm that occurs in the tissue of an organ. Not all tumors are oncological, but only those that develop from epithelial tissue. Most formations have a different basis, but in everyday life they are also often called cancer. The percentage of brain cancer diagnoses is only 5% of all cases of malignant neoplasms.

The extent of the disease is usually described using stages. However, there is no standard classification system for brain cancer according to developmental periods. Initial neoplasms may appear in the central nervous system (spinal cord and brain), but they rarely spread to other parts of the body. To choose the right treatment method, brain tumors are classified according to the type of cells on which the cancerous growth arose, their location and degree of malignancy.

Benign

This type of cancer is characterized by passivity after the end of the growth period. Benign tumors, unlike malignant ones, do not grow into neighboring tissues. Neoplasms have clear growth boundaries, which are determined using MRI or CT. It is extremely rare for such brain cancer to metastasize or become malignant. As a rule, benign formations are treated without surgery and do not recur in the future.

The reasons why a benign tumor may occur are unknown. However, doctors suggest that there are predisposing factors:

harmful effects of radiation on humans;
heredity;
the presence of Turco or Gorlin syndromes;
prolonged human contact with chemicals (formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, etc.).

Benign neoplasms can present with the same symptoms as malignant ones. This is explained by compression of brain tissues and structures during the development of tumors. Therefore, the type of cancer is not as important as the location of the formations. Even with a slow growth rate of a benign tumor, lack of treatment can cause acute focal symptoms.

Malignant

This is a pathological formation that appears in the nervous tissue of the brain. Malignant tumors can grow quickly and often spread to neighboring tissues, stimulating their transformation. This type of formation, as a rule, consists of immature cells of nervous tissue or of cells brought into the organ by blood from other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are divided into primary and secondary. The first are formed from nerve cells (brain glioma).

Often, brain cancer begins to develop as a result of metastasizing malignant cells localized in other human tissues. Such tumors are considered secondary. Pathogenic substances enter the blood and are carried throughout the body, including the brain. Sometimes metastases appear in several areas of the organ at once and begin to grow, forming tumors.

Stages of the disease and their symptoms

The degree of brain cancer is what determines the patient’s life expectancy. A feature of the disease is that tissue transformations often occur in the central nervous system. The stage of brain cancer can be determined using additional diagnostic methods. The information obtained serves as a guide when prescribing treatment by a doctor. There are only 4 stages of cancer development, each of which is characterized by certain symptoms:

First stage (initial stage). When brain cancer is detected at this stage of development, the prognosis is favorable: treatment in most cases results in complete recovery. The first symptoms of brain cancer, as a rule, are either not expressed at all or are barely noticeable. This is due to the slow growth of the tumor.
Second stage. The tumor grows and affects certain brain structures. If the disease is not detected at this stage, then the person’s life is in serious danger. Stage 2 symptoms are nausea, high blood pressure, headaches, frequent dizziness, memory loss, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating.
Third stage. The active growth of the tumor begins, which penetrates even deeper into the tissues and structures of the brain. This causes serious disruption of the functioning of the nervous system. Symptoms of the third stage are: rapid weight loss, anemia, high fatigue, vomiting, suppressed immunity, convulsions, numbness of the limbs, problems with hearing, vision, memory, speech, and lack of coordination.
Fourth stage (last). Cancer at this stage is incurable, and the tumor is inoperable. The disease is accompanied by irreversible changes not only in the central nervous system, but also in organs included in the area controlled by the part of the brain affected by tumors. In addition to the symptoms listed above, the patient may develop paralysis/paresis, experience a change in personality (if the frontal lobe is affected), impaired sense of smell, etc.

How to recognize brain cancer at an early stage

Signs of cancer at first are often almost invisible, so it is rarely possible to diagnose stage 1 cancer. At first, the disease occurs without characteristic symptoms and is hidden. Primary signs of brain cancer are noticeable after direct damage to the central nervous system or nerve structures of brain tissue by the tumor. Sometimes symptoms become noticeable when the tumor has grown to such a size that it compresses the brain tissue.

In adults

The rate of development of symptoms depends on the location of the tumor and the specific characteristics of its growth. Brain cancer appears when the tumor begins to put pressure on certain areas of the organ. The first symptoms of the disease in women and men are:

frequent dizziness;
incessant headaches that get worse in the morning or when a person takes certain positions;
drowsiness, weakness, apathy.

In children and adolescents

Symptoms of childhood brain cancer become apparent later than in adults. Often, primary signs can be identified after a child has suffered an infection or injury. The most common forms of cancer in children are medulloblastomas and gliomas. The first disease is a congenital tumor that is located in the cerebellum. Glioma is characterized by the development of neoplasms in the brain stem and glial cells of the cerebellum. Cancer manifests itself in children with focal and cerebral symptoms:

loss of appetite, weight loss;
dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus;
vomiting/nausea;
systematic headaches (however, this symptom often appears in children at a late stage);
hallucinations, fainting;
high fatigue, weakness, drowsiness;
convulsions;
speech disorders, double vision (with damage to the cerebral cortex).

Signs of brain cancer

Fatigue, frequent drowsiness, loss of interest in what is happening.
Sharp deterioration in hearing and vision.
Ringing (noise) in the ears.
Memory impairment, poor concentration.
Oral/written language disorders.
Degeneration (a sharp change in a person’s habitual behavior).

Diagnostic methods

If you notice at least a few symptoms of brain cancer, you should consult a doctor. The specialist will refer you for tests and examinations that will help determine the presence or absence of oncology. The following research methods are used to identify tumors:

CT (computed tomography). This procedure allows you to obtain a series of clear photographs of a given area of the body, taken from different angles. The images are obtained using a computer connected to an X-ray machine. Some patients have a special dye injected into their blood to improve the visibility of internal organs and tissues.
MRI. During the procedure, the doctor takes several clear images of the spinal cord and brain using radio waves, a magnetic field and a computer. Before an MRI, the patient is given gadolinium, a substance that, once in the body, surrounds cancer cells, making them easier to detect.
Biopsy. This is an opening of the skull and removal of organ tissue using a needle. The pathologist later examines the resulting sample under a microscope. If cancer cells are found, surgery is performed to remove the tumor.

Prognosis and consequences of the disease

There is a chance to completely cure cancer, but the likelihood of success depends on timely diagnosis and initiation of treatment. Comprehensive therapy started at an early stage ensures a five-year survival rate of 60-80% of patients. Delayed access to a doctor and the inability to perform surgery worsens the survival rate, reducing it to 30-40%. For glioma, this value does not exceed 14-15%. However, despite the statistics, the life expectancy of each patient is individual and depends on many factors.

People with brain cancer may partially or completely lose the following abilities and skills:

Some types of cancer pathologies can lead to paralysis of the body/limbs, seizures, and the development of epilepsy. Sometimes a person develops emotional disorders: he becomes apathetic or, conversely, agitated and aggressive. When malignant tumors occur in sensitive areas of the organ, hearing, vision, and the ability to touch are lost.

Instructions

Nonspecific signs of brain cancer include: unexplained progressive weight loss, deterioration in health, fatigue, loss of strength. Often these signs are mistaken for manifestations of a harmless disease, chronic fatigue or hypovitaminosis.

Specific signs of brain cancer, in turn, are divided into focal, depending on the location of the tumor, and general cerebral, caused by the development of the oncological process in the brain, compression of brain tissue by the tumor and increased intracranial pressure.

The most common cerebral symptom is headache. It is observed in approximately half of patients, is not relieved by conventional medications, can intensify when tilting the head, coughing or sneezing, and often depends on the time of day (intensifies in the morning and weakens in the evening). Over time, attacks become more frequent, and as the disease progresses, the pain becomes permanent.

General signs of cancer also include: dizziness independent of body position, drowsiness, and otherwise unexplained nausea and vomiting. In this case, there is no relief after vomiting. Impaired cerebral circulation leads to deterioration of vision.

The nature and severity of focal symptoms depend on where the neoplasm is located and how seriously affected certain areas are. Thus, with damage to the cerebellum, deterioration in coordination and unsteadiness of gait are observed; if the tumor is located in the pituitary gland or hypothalamus, endocrine disorders are possible.

Focal symptoms also include visual and hearing impairment that occurs when the tumor is localized in the visual or visual area, epileptic seizures caused by constant irritation of the cerebral cortex, impaired sensitivity of skin receptors (patients lose the ability to feel heat, cold, pain), attacks of aggression or apathy.

Suspicions of brain cancer may arise if the patient has a long-term decrease in the ability to concentrate, memory disorders, and impaired speech perception. There are hallucinations, mental disorders, paralysis, and convulsions caused by the tumor process.

Signs of brain cancer do not appear overnight. The disease develops gradually, its first manifestations are often ignored or mistaken for symptoms of other diseases. Headache can be either an early sign of cancer or appear at a late stage of the disease; most other symptoms become pronounced when the tumor reaches a significant size, which significantly complicates timely diagnosis.

A brain tumor– growth, uncontrolled division of tumor-like pathological cells in the cortex or membranes of the brain. Cancer occurs in 5% population, can develop through metastasis of other affected internal organs.

How serious?

As the malignant tumor grows are damaged vital centers of the brain, which poses a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the patient. It is difficult to predict the outcome even with a non-spreading benign tumor due to the limitation of the brain to the bones of the skull and the impossibility of the tumor spreading beyond them.

The tumor does not spare children, growing primarily from the membrane or tissue of the brain. In adults it is possible metastasis tumors from another affected organ: lungs, mammary glands.

Today, thanks to precise modern diagnostic equipment, the survival rate after surgery is up to 80% cases, but only in the initial stages of development of the disease. 3-4 stages are fraught with complications and relapses. The outcome is unfavorable. Doctors predict survival no more than 5-6 years.

We have already discussed this issue in detail in our other article.

The first signs of a brain tumor

Signs of a tumor:

The main and primary symptom of the tumor– paroxysmal pain localized in any part of the brain, usually intensifying in the morning when sneezing, bending, or turning the head.
For malignant lesions of the cerebellum there is nausea, vomiting regardless of food intake, dizziness, drowsiness for no apparent reason, and impaired coordination of movements. Read more about when on our website.
Possible hallucinations, memory disorders, epileptic seizures, bright light flashes or black circles (stars) before the eyes. These are just the primary signs of brain cancer.

As the disease progresses and the tumor increases in size, symptoms begin to appear more often and more pronounced:

With time mental disorders are observed.
Headache become intense and irritating and do not go away for a long time even after taking analgesics or antispasmodics.
Attacks of pain become permanent, lack of sleep and fatigue become chronic.
The integuments are turning pale skin, pronounced blue circles appear under the eyes, blood pressure increases, and sweating increases.

Such signs are inherent in many diseases and, of course, if you suspect an illness, there is no time to panic. The symptoms are similar to other infectious processes in the body, neurological ailments, vegetative crisis, and also with menopause in women. It is better to consult an oncologist as soon as possible and undergo the proposed comprehensive examination.

Symptoms in children and adults in the early stages

The development of a tumor in the brain begins with disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic system:

jumps pressure;
broken rhythmicity of pulsation;
discharge sweat becomes uncontrollable;
face and certain parts of the body are covered with bright spots.

In addition, there are signs:

Symptoms in children

Infants When the tumor develops, they spit up between feedings for no reason, are constantly capricious, or, conversely, are overly aggressive.

Seizures for no reason aggression are also present in adults at any time of the day or night. Cancer at the initial stage leads to memory impairment, confusion, and thinking.

Patients begin to see and hear non-existent sounds and objects. The personality gradually degrades and changes beyond recognition. The psyche and coordination of movements are impaired when the tumor is localized in the stem or pituitary gland. When hormones responsible for growth fail, children begin lag behind in development.

Kids are worried about:

pressing throbbing headaches;
emetics urge;
promotion intracranial pressure (possible increase in head size);
convulsions;
decline vision, the appearance of spots, black circles before the eyes;
swelling around eyes;
a loss appetite (with a malignant neoplasm, children are severely delayed in development and in weight).

In case of accumulation liquids around the tumor the face swells and becomes swollen. The head may increase in size as the tumors grow.

Signs of a tumor in the brain, depending on the location, they can manifest themselves in patches and intensify in one or another part of the brain as the disease progresses and the tumor increases in size.

At brain cancer in children, most of the symptoms are similar to those in adults, and the symptoms are identical to some other diseases in the body that have nothing to do with the brain.

It is not a fact that it is brain cancer. Only a doctor can establish an accurate diagnosis based on a number of diagnostic measures performed. Parents need to be more attentive to their children. If you suspect, do not hesitate to contact a pediatrician or oncologist.

Symptoms in adults

Symptoms of damage to individual lobes

Frequent symptoms:

Disorders These human functions are the main symptoms of damage to the temple lobe.
Partial Memory loss leads to psychological discomfort and aggressive behavior of the patient. Sometimes he becomes simply inadequate.
Fear, laughter or, conversely, unfounded tears, severe excitability and agitation, a depressive state, constant migraines, which cannot be eliminated even with strong analgesics and painkillers.
Defeat the temporal lobe leads to disturbances in the speech apparatus and speech distortion. With such occurrences, support for the patient from relatives is extremely necessary.

With damage to the cerebellum is decreasing vision, pain and spasms are localized to the back of the head. There is dizziness and prolonged vomiting.
Localization of the tumor in the occipital area leads to damage to the optic nerve, to a sudden sharp decrease in vision. This is an irrefutable sign that you need to urgently consult a doctor and undergo an examination while the development of the tumor is at the initial stage and there is still a chance for a quick, successful cure.
The parietal lobe is responsible for speech and movement:

Upon her defeat speech perception is impaired by the tumor.
The patient begins speaks incoherently or cannot pronounce even individual phrases clearly.
For cancer, the crown tremor in the limbs or paralysis of the arms (legs) separately is possible.

Strongly The patient’s personality and behavior will change.
Reactions become inadequate, uncontrollable, laugh, cry, become depressed without good reason and at any time of the day.
Increased impulsiveness and aggression in a patient become clear and noticeable already at the initial stage of cancer development.

Localization of the tumor in the cerebral cortex leads to memory impairment:

Sick unable to remember people's names, lost in time, forgets even letters, unable to read.
Possible loss of sensitivity in the lower (upper) extremities, paralysis, decreased motor functions when the tumor compresses the nerve canaliculi, and epileptic seizures with a gradual increase in their number as the tumor grows.

Stages of disease development

Brain cancer develops quite rapidly.

There are 4 stages of development, and it is not always possible to accurately diagnose one or another stage even with modern methods using MRI and CT:

initial stage The pace of development is quite slow. Cells are affected in small numbers. Treatment at this stage gives quite positive prognosis, but signs may be completely absent and, unfortunately, the disease is detected at the initial stage in patients extremely rarely.
At the second stage tissues are affected. By performing removal surgery, it is still possible to prevent the process of tumor development. Signs include nausea and vomiting not associated with food. The chances of cure during surgery are high
At the third stage the disease begins to progress rapidly; tumor cells simply rapidly invade the brain tissue. Many doctors do not risk performing operations at this stage, considering the treatment inoperable. Usually only drug treatment is carried out.
At the fourth stage The entire brain is susceptible to rapid tumor growth and metastasis. Chemo, radio and radiation therapy are indicated. The stage is dangerous, the prognosis is disappointing. Although there are cases in medical practice when, through emergency surgery, it was possible to eliminate the process of cell division, as well as the entire tumor. Although in most cases, treatment at stage 4 can only slow down the growth of cancer cells, thereby prolonging the patient’s life.

Causes of cancer

Cancer is a complex pathology, and until now doctors have not always been able to establish the exact primary causes of its occurrence. It is generally accepted that the primary form of cancer is promoted by the effects of radiation on the body and the brain in particular.

Oncology is inevitable when a patient becomes infected with HIV or exposed to chemically active elements. Oncological diseases are inherited, that is, genetically predisposed people become ill.

When a tumor is localized in the brain, active division of abnormal cells begins. But why do healthy cells suddenly become pathological? Even scientists are often unable to answer this question. All that remains is to suggest factors that can negatively affect the brain, and also to identify the circle of people at risk.

In most cases, a brain tumor develops due to:

radioactive exposure to heavy salts, metals, chemical reagents;
labor human activities in harmful conditions;
radial irradiation;
intracranial brain injuries;
harmful habits: smoking, alcohol abuse;
long-term taking antibiotics;
transplantation some internal organs.

The risk of developing a tumor against the background of various types of lesions increases with age. Possible tumor formation from cerebellar tissue.

Diagnosis of the disease

Even the most minor signs such as headache, nausea and drowsiness should be a cause for concern and see a doctor. Of course, these are symptoms of many other, less serious diseases, but also the development of a tumor. It is always better to identify the disease at an early stage. The chances of complete cure will be much greater.

Today, cancer is diagnosed using high-tech equipment: CT, MRI, PET, MEG, allowing us to determine with maximum accuracy the size, degree of development, and location of the tumor even in the most hidden corners of the brain.

No less effective:

angiography;
biopsy;
spinal tap;
emission tomography.

Only based on the results obtained, the doctor will establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment, the effectiveness of which will directly depend on the correctly selected methods, the degree of tumor development, and also on the patient’s strict compliance with all the doctor’s recommendations. Brain tumor prognosis is quite positive, but only when identifying and treating cancer in the early stages of its development.

26.09.2016