The term brain tumor can generally be described as the development of the skull, the cerebral cortex, the brain tissue itself, intracranial blood vessels, congenital residual tissues, the pituitary gland, or another organ tumor that comes to the brain via blood.
Tumors of each age group may show a different frequency. For example, a tumor that can be seen in infancy or childhood may be quite rare in advanced ages. In addition, some tumors seen in the elderly can rarely be seen in infancy or childhood.
COMPLAINTS AND FINDINGS IN THE PATIENT IN BRAIN TUMORS
The most common complaints in brain tumors are headache, nausea, vomiting, diplopia, and these findings may not be present in all patients. In some patients, the first symptom may be epilepsy. In addition, symptoms of the brain region where the tumor is located may occur. These; speech difficulties, arm-leg weakness, imbalance, clumsiness, falls, strabismus, double vision, decreased vision, difficulty in swallowing, hearing loss. One or more of these findings may be the first findings.
Headache occurs when the tumor grows inside the head, causing an increase in intracranial pressure. However, in some slow-growing brain tumors, although the tumor reaches very large sizes, the intracranial pressure does not rise and there is no headache.
Alarming signs for brain tumor
– Headache that has occurred in the last few months that is unlike previous headaches.
– Headache that gets worse during the day, accompanied by nausea and vomiting
– Headache that increases especially in the morning
– Double vision
– Someone who is middle-aged Beginning to have epileptic seizures that were not present before.
– Menstrual irregularity in women, loss of vision with sexual reluctance in men.
-Continuation of tinnitus that has been going on for years and then deafness.
-Difficulty swallowing, nasal speech, imbalance.
CHILDHOOD BRAIN TUMORS
MEDULLOBLASTOM: It is one of the most common tumors seen in childhood. It occurs in the cerebellum. It occurs with headache, nausea, morning sickness, imbalance. Although it is a malignant tumor, very positive results can be obtained with chemotherapy and radiotherapy after surgical removal.
ASTROCYTOMAS: It is also seen in the cerebellum. In addition, the brain stem may originate from the optic nerve. Although they are usually benign tumors, they are difficult to operate.
CRANIOPHARYNGIOMES: They are tumors arising from congenital remains. It occurs with growth retardation in the child, dwarfism due to hormonal failure, and failure to develop sexual characteristics. They are benign tumors.
ADULT AGE BRAIN TUMORS
MENINGIOMAS: They arise from the cerebral membrane called the meninges. They develop from the membrane to the brain tissue and put the brain under pressure. They are mostly benign. It is more common after middle age and in women. They grow very slowly. Surgery is usually relatively easy.
GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME: It is the most malignant brain tumor in adults. Tumor-related complaints are usually present for 1-2 months. It can grow within days to weeks and cause death within 1 year despite treatment. In the treatment, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are applied after surgical removal.
ASTROCYTOMAS: Unlike children, they occur in the brain, not in the cerebellum. Usually the first finding is epilepsy, which is evaluated in 3 grades. Grade 1 and 2 astrocytomas are benign, and grade 3 are malignant. Treatment is surgery, for malignant cases, surgery + radiotherapy.
Pituitary TUMORS: They develop from the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain and is responsible for hormone secretion. It occurs with signs of hormone disorder or with a decrease in vision by pressing on the optic nerve due to the mass effect. It occurs with menstrual irregularity in women, inability to have menstruation, inability to have children, milk coming from the breast, sexual impotence in men, inability to have children. In addition, excessive weight gain, goiter, enlargement and coarsening of the hands and feet, nose and chin due to excess secretion of growth hormone occur.
