What is a Brain Tumor?
Tumors that develop inside the skull are generally called Brain Tumors. These can be benign or malignant tumors. Due to the fact that the skull is a closed box, patients manifest themselves with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, vomiting and fainting due to the pushing of the tumor in the surrounding tissues and brain edema.
Brain tumors grow inside the skull and put pressure on the brain. Findings emerge according to the region they are in and the brain area they keep under pressure. However, they primarily show symptoms related to increased intracranial pressure.
Tumors located in the anterior part of the brain may cause mental disorders and personality changes in the patient. Patients may experience sluggishness, forgetfulness, extreme irritability, or psychic disturbances. Some tumors can cause epileptic seizures by causing local irritation in the brain.
According to the brain centers involved by the tumor, partial or complete paralysis in the parietal region, speech disorders, literacy disorders or tumors in the occipital region may cause symptoms such as visual disturbances.
Tumors arising from brain tissue are generally called glial tumors. These tumors show early symptoms. There are types that have the ability to reproduce slowly or faster. Often their treatment requires surgical removal. After surgical treatment, radiation therapy or chemotherapy can be applied according to the types.
Tumors originating from the brain membranes are called Meningioma. They manifest themselves by putting pressure on the brain, they do not spread to the brain tissue in general. However, some of them may not be surgically removed due to the location, or if they are removed, advanced neurological sequelae may remain in the patient.
Tumors originating from nerves are called Neuroma or Schwannoma. They mostly arise from nerve extensions running inside the head.
There are also Pituitary Adenomas originating from the pituitary gland, which is an extension of the brain. Pituitary Adenomas are effective on the hormonal balance of the body. If it is a type that secretes hormones, symptoms occur in patients according to the type of hormone secreted, and they can often be noticed at an earlier stage. Types that do not secrete hormones are noticed at a later stage. These often cause visual disturbances in patients by pressing on the optic nerves.
In addition, cancer-related tumors in other parts of the body can spread to the brain. These tumors are generally called Metastatic Tumors. Especially lung, breast, kidney and prostate cancers can spread to the brain and spinal cord.
