Brain Cancer (Neurological Cancers)
A neurological disease, brain cancer can grow aggressively and cause seizures, muscle weakness, behavioral changes and hearing loss.
When abnormal cells form in the brain, they force out healthy ones and cause tumors to develop. These tumors often start in the brain or in nearby tissues, such as the outer covering of the brain called the meninges, the cranial nerves or the pituitary and pineal glands.
Although the exact cause of brain cancer is unknown, your risk increases if you smoke cigarettes, have been exposed to radiation to the head, or have been exposed to certain chemicals.
Cancerous tumors that spread can interfere with our central nervous system, which controls all of our bodys processes. Tumors that begin in the brain are much more rare than tumors that begin elsewhere and then spread to the brain. Cancers that start in the breast, colon, kidney or lungs commonly spread to the brain.
Recently Answered
- Q What are natural treatments for brain cancer?
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Meditation: There is good evidence that various types of meditation may help improve quality of life in cancer patients. Studies have shown benefits for mood, sleep quality, and the stresses of treatment. The specific effects of meditation are not fully... Full Answer
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- Q How do cerebellar astrocytomas affect the body?
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Cerebellar astrocytomas are characterized by abnormal changes in brain cells called astrocytes, which multiply at an unusual rate and form a mass of cells that becomes the astrocytoma. Doctors use a four-level grading system to categorize astrocytomas,... Full Answer
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- Q What is the rate of incidence for cerebellar astrocytomas?
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Experts estimate that approximately 37 percent of all primary brain tumors are astrocytomas, making them the most common type of primary brain tumor. A primary brain tumor is one that starts in the brain rather than spreading from elsewhere. Experts also... Full Answer
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- Q What are the treatment options for cerebral astrocytomas?
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The treatment options for a cerebral astrocytoma will vary depending on the size, location, and severity of the brain tumor, and may include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy utilizes special therapeutic doses of radioactive... Full Answer
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- Q Do cerebellar astrocytomas affect children differently than adults?
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Astrocytomas can occur in people of all ages but are more common in children than adults. Between 15 and 25 percent of all brain tumors in children are cerebellar astrocytomas. In rare cases, an astrocytoma may be caused by a genetic disorder inherited... Full Answer
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- Q What is recurrent childhood high-grade astrocytoma?
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Most patients with high-grade astrocytomas or gliomas will eventually have tumor recurrence, usually within 3 years of original diagnosis but perhaps many years after initial treatment. Disease may recur at the primary tumor site, at the margin of the... Full Answer
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- Q What is recurrent childhood low-grade astrocytoma?
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Childhood low-grade astrocytomas may recur many years after initial treatment. Recurrent disease is usually at the primary tumor site, though multifocal or widely disseminated disease to other intracranial sites and to the spinal leptomeninges has been... Full Answer
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- Q How are childhood low-grade astrocytomas treated after surgery?
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Postsurgical treatment for Childhood Low-Grade Astrocytomas includes: Observation Following resection, immediate (within 48 hours of resection per Children's Oncology Group [COG] criteria) postoperative magnetic resonance imaging is obtained.... Full Answer
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- Q How do I manage my cerebellar astrocytoma on a daily basis?
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Until your cerebellar astrocytoma can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy, you may have to live with some disturbing symptoms on a daily basis. You might be having severe headaches, for example. If so, your doctor might be able to... Full Answer
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- Q How do I care for someone with a cerebellar astrocytoma?
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When caring for someone with a cerebellar astrocytoma, you will need to: keep an eye on the person's symptoms; make sure they receive effective treatment; make sure they take any medication prescribed to control their symptoms; and remain emotionally... Full Answer
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