Previously diagnosed with cancer was a sentence for the patient. The cure of 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 depending on the cellular structures involved in the process. By the frequency of occurrence, brain tumors are far from the first place and make up only 6% of the number of malignant tumors.
The causes of the development of brain tumors have not yet been fully elucidated. Many doctors are inclined to the idea that such pathologies are preceded by a trauma to the skull. There are some signs indicating the presence of a genetic predisposition to the development of malignant neoplasms. However, all these conditions are not etiological aspects, but only contribute to the fact that brain cancer develops .
The signs of this disease are determined by the localization of the tumor process in a particular part of the brain (for example, coordination of the cerebellum is impaired, and vision deteriorates in the pathology of the visual region). The most common manifestations are prolonged headache, dizziness.
Over time, an increase in the size of the tumor leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which is manifested by vomiting, which does not bring relief. Characteristic signs are also impaired 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 non-specific and are characteristic of a large number of various pathological conditions.
Brain cancer is diagnosed 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 formation, a biopsy of the affected brain tissue is necessary. The study of biopsy on cytology allows you to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the treatment tactics of the patient.
Brain cancer is treated in three main ways:
- surgical (excision of affected tissue);
- chemotherapeutic (using potent cytostatics and other drugs);
- radiotherapeutic (by irradiating the affected tissue).
The main of these methods is the surgical removal of tissue damaged by the tumor process. It is worth noting that not all tumors are operable, some of them are not amenable to surgical treatment due to inaccessibility (surrounded by large vessels, etc.). Most often in this case, subtotal tumor resection is performed (the part that is accessible for surgical intervention is excised), the remaining damaged structures are destroyed by exposure to ionizing radiation or chemotherapy.
Of particular importance is the time factor. So, the earlier treatment is started, the higher the likelihood of a full recovery (the number of possible complications of the tumor is minimized).
Thus, brain cancer is currently not a sentence and a treatable disease. However, the prognosis depends on the type of tumor, its location and degree of damage. At the same time, the developed new highly effective methods and methods of treating malignant neoplasms allow us to look into the future of medicine with more confidence.