Brain Cancer is a common disease amongst children today. There is a lot of information concerning brain cancer, available to anyone who wishes to learn more of the disease. There are different types of brain tumors. As a matter of fact, there are over 100 types of brain tumors! Cancers of the brain are the result of abnormal growth of cells in the brain. They also can arise from organs that contain cancer cells which have spread to the brain by the bloodstream. Cancer is one of the hardest disease to cure and there is not a known cure, but there is extensive research in progress.
Brain cancer is more common in children than adults. Tumors of the brain can be either benign or malignant. Benign means a non-cancerous tumor while malignant means a cancerous tumor. Tumors that do not grow aggressively are called benign. Almost all tumors that begin in the brain do not spread to other parts of the body. The major differences between benign and malignant tumors are that malignant tumors can invade the brain tissues and grow rapidly ( Harold). A brain tumor is the most common childhood disease. 8700629 2 Symptoms of this disease vary depending on the size of the tumor and its location in the brain.
Symptoms do not give you an idea of where the tumor is located. Headaches are a very common symptom of this disease. The headaches you get from brain cancer are very frequent and increase in pain over time. They cannot be dealt with using over the counter medications such as ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Aleve. Headaches may worsen while sneezing, coughing, bending over, or lying down. Seizures also play a major role in living with the disease . Studies have shown that 1/3 of the population of people who are living with the disease develop seizures. Seizures can cause the body to shake and shudder uncontrollably.
During this action you could experience visual disturbance such as flashing lights and you could also lose consciousness. It is highly advised that you seek medical attention if you believe you are experiencing this symptom. If you are diagnosed with brain cancer you could experience excessive vomiting. This can occur at any time of day, but in the morning especially. It is believable that while living with this cancer your brain becomes slower at processing the simplest tasks (Robin). Those tasks include easy math, writing sentences, setting up a chess board or following a simple recipe.
Memory loss and difficulty paying attention are effective as well. Some physical symptoms may include weakness on one side of the body, loss of balance, stumbling, or walking into walls. 8700629 3 While experiencing those symptoms, you could also notice changes in speech. A person suffering with brain cancer may state things that don’t make any sense. Slurring of words can occur as well as slow speech. This symptom could become very frustrating over time, due to lack of communication. If you are experiencing any of the above stated symptoms they you should visit your doctor immediately (Robin).
The treatment that you will undergo all depend on five things. The location of the tumor, type of tumor, your age, general health and the mass of the tumor. You will have a multiple amount of doctors assigned to you during your treatment. Those types of doctors include neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, oncologists, a dietitian, social worker, a physiotherapist. You must go through a series of treatments and tests before you have the surgery. Such treatments and tests would be a neurological exam (Robin). Your child’s doctor will begin tests that reflect muscle strength, eye and mouth movement, coordination, reflexes and alertness.
An x-ray will be done to see if the cancer has spread. Angiograms are used to detect certain types of tumors by inserting a special dye into the blood vessels of the brain. An MRI will be done to show up close and in-depth images of organs and body structures. A CAT scan will be done to lay out each slice of the brain so you can see the exact location of the brain tumor. Surgery is basically done to clarify that the mass on the brain scan in indeed a tumor. 8700629 4 Chemotherapy is a cancer drug which is used to treat brain cancer. Radiation therapy is high energy rays that kill and shrink cancer cells.
Some steroids are used to treat and prevent swelling of the brain. You will some what lose motor skills and muscle strength. Continuous follow up care to help care for the disease is highly recommended. According to some in depth research , long term survival varies depending on the different types of cancer your child has. Excessive therapy is highly recommended for the best prognosis. Rehabilitation for loss of muscle strength may be required. A child’s speech therapist, physical therapist, and occupational therapist qualify in helping the surviving child get through the hard times after the surgery.
It is not always possible that these treatments will completely cure the cancer that your child is dealing with. People know brain cancer can be a very scary disease. Use your cell phone with care. Studies have shown that people who use their cell phones on a regular basis have higher chances of getting a brain tumor, which can later develop into cancer, is 240% higher then someone who stays off the phone. Cell phones give off radioactive waves which attack brain cells. The primary cause is still unknown, people still try and fins ways to prevent it. Avoiding brain cancer, or brain tumors is possible (Phillips).
Nothing is ever a for sure prevention, but you can’t doubt your brains health. Your brain needs nutrition for survival as well. While a lot of people want to support a healthy heart or weight, sometimes we forget about the brain. It’s good to know what supports a healthy brain function. A lot of foods we eat and supplements can help enhance our brain 8700629 5 memory, functioning, along with support better brain health. Sometimes brain cancer can run in the family. Primary brain tumors are tumors that develop out of no where with no cancer being present. Secondary brain cancer is when cancer in other parts spreads to the brain.
To avoid getting secondary brain cancer, stay away from things that cause cancer in other organs of the body. By not smoking around your child, you can cancel out his/her chances of developing lung cancer (Charlene). Serving your child low-fat foods and helping them maintain a high fiber diet can decrease the chances of them getting intestinal and stomach cancer. By your child having a nutritional diet filled with vitamins and minerals their body will function extremely well. Help your child maintain healthy organ function by feeding them fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
If not already, provide your child with multivitamins everyday to help the body fight against disease and illness. It is time to stop your child from living unhealthy fatty foods, habits that could follow them up to adulthood and effect their health in the future (Phillips). Primary brain tumors are most common in children than adults. So it is advised that if you notice any changes in your child’s regular day to day health, that you visit a pediatrician immediately . For the best prognosis you need to catch brain cancer at its beginning stage. Preventing cancer can actually start with preventing other form s of cancer. Do your best to stay.
8700629 6 healthy and active, to prevent any form of cancer from invading the body. Brain cancer is abnormal growths of cells in the brain. Brain cancer and brain tumor are terms commonly used vice versa. However, not all brain tumors are cancerous, and cancer is a term used for malignant tumors (Charlene). Malignant tumors grow and spread aggressively, overpowering healthy cells by taking over their space, blood, and nutrients. Malignant brain tumors can grow more rapidly, invading and destroying nearby brain tissue. Unlike cancers elsewhere in the body, primary malignant brain tumors very rarely spread from the brain.
Tumors that do not spread aggressively are called benign. Benign brain tumors usually grow slower, are easier to remove surgically, depending on their location, and less likely to recur than malignant brain tumors. Benign brain tumors don’t invade the surrounding normal brain or other nearby structures, but they can still place pressure on sensitive areas of the brain (Phillips). A non cancerous primary brain tumor is life threatening when it effects important structures . Approximately 1 of every 16,000 child in the United States develops brain cancer or brain tumors.
According to the American Cancer Society, brain cancer accounts for approximately 1. 4 % of all cancers. It is estimated that there are 13,000 deaths/year in children as a result of brain tumors, and brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in patients younger than age 16 (Charlene). Brain cancer is more common in children than adults. 8700629 7 Statistics on Brain Cancer in Children Childhood cancer is rare, about 1 in every 600 children develop cancer before the age of 15. The chart shows the distribution of different types of childhood cancers, based on data from The UK National Registry of Childhood Tumors.
Leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer, representing about one third of all childhood cancers. Brain tumors account for a further fifth of children’s cancers. There many other types of cancer, many of which are only found in children and young people. Most children are treated in special pediatric oncology units run by NHS doctors who are members of the UK Children’s Cancer Study Group. Survival rates for childhood cancer have improved significantly over the past 30 years; overall, about 70% of children survive – though survival rates vary according to the type of cancer, stage of the cancer, and other factors (Phillips).
Work Cited 8700629 Phillip`s, Peter C.. “Brain Cancer. ” The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, May 2005. Web. 07 Oct. 2010. www. chop. edu Miller, Robin E.. “Types of Cancer Teens Can Get”. Nemours, June 2007 Web. 07 Oct. 2010. www. kidshealth. org Varmus, Harold. ” Common Cancer Types”. National Cancer Institute, 6 June 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2010. www. cancer. org Laino, Charlene. ” Cancer Signs in Teens Often Overlooked”. WebMD Health News, 9 October 2009. Web. 07 Oct. 2010. www. medicinenet. com “Brain Cancer”. 17 January 2008. Web. 07 Oct. 2010 www. emedicinehealth. com.