Getting a brain tumor diagnosis comes with an overwhelming feeling of what’s next. The fear of being killed from this abnormal growth is equally evident.
However, even though these abnormal growths in the brain are cancerous, some of them caused by a different type of brain tumor (glioma and meningiomas), are non-cancerous. Thanks to advancements in medical science, there have been huge strides in figuring out how to identify and treat these tumors. The journey starts with a detailed diagnosis, followed by personalized treatment options for your diagnosis.
Diagnosis of Brain Tumor
Being able to diagnose brain tumors starts when someone notices unusual symptoms like headaches, vision problems, or confusion. The doctor will ask about these symptoms and any medical history, like if you have family members with brain tumors or past exposure to radiation. It’s possible for health conditions to have the same symptoms but different causes. That’s why these questions are asked, which can actually help the doctor to figure out if a brain tumor can be the problem or if it’s something else.
Next, the doctor will check how well the brain is working by testing reflexes, balance, coordination, and even strength. For example, they might ask you to follow a light with your eyes, or do things like touching your nose. These will allow them to know if the tumor is affecting certain parts of the brain. After the physical examination, the doctor would also want to see what’s going on in the brain, using special machines.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a scan that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the brain, showing the doctor exactly where the tumor is and how big it might be. CT Scan is another advanced scan that shows a quick view of the brain, which helps to spot tumors or swelling. If a tumor is found, the doctor might need to take a tiny piece of it, to check whether it’s cancerous or not. This process is called a biopsy, which is done with surgery or a special needle.
Some other tests to be done include lumbar punctures, and blood tests. The lumbar puncture is a test where a small amount of fluid is taken from the spine to check for cancer cells or infections. While blood tests will review signs of other health problems linked to the tumor.
Treatment of Brain Tumor
Usually after diagnosis, the treatment of the tumor is based on the type, how big it is, and where the tumor is currently located. With these few indicators, the doctor will be able to decide which treatment method to go for.
Surgery: This treatment method is a hands-on approach to get rid of the tumor. The doctor will open up the area where the tumor is, and carefully remove it. Surgery is usually the best choice of treatment, when the tumor is easy to reach and hasn’t spread away from its original site.
Radiation therapy: Radiation uses strong energy beams like x-rays to attack the tumor. These beams are usually aimed only at the tumor, so they can damage the cells there and stop them from growing. This process is used when the tumor can’t be fully removed with surgery.
Chemotherapy: Chemo uses special medicines that are designed to fight tumor cells all over the body. These drugs move through your blood, like soldiers that have been sent off to fight on the battlefield. They travel everywhere in the body, hunting for bad cells to destroy. The downside is that just like on the battlefield, these so-called soldiers might mistakenly attack healthy cells, which causes side effects like tiredness and hair loss.
Targeted drug therapy: This is one of the smartest treatments out there. Targeted drugs are designed to focus only on specific features of the tumor cells. This is amazing because that way, the healthy cells in the body don’t get destroyed. This treatment option, though, is used for tumors with unique traits.
Combination treatment: Given the nature of brain tumors, sometimes, one treatment isn’t enough. As a result, doctors might combine surgery with chemo, or radiation with targeted therapy. This type of treatment method is just like assembling a team where each of these treatment methods brings something different to fight the tumor more effectively. The doctor will usually choose the combination that gives the patient the best chance to heal, while facing the least amount of trouble or side effects.
Conclusion
Finding out you have a brain tumor can be overwhelming, but modern medicine has brought new hope. There are tests like Maris, CT scans, and biopsies that help doctors figure out the best way to treat you. But treatment is usually based on a few things like: the type of tumor, how big it is, and its location. Once the doctor figures out answers to the pointers, they can create a treatment plan that would either use a single or a combination of treatment methods to give you a better chance to heal with less trouble.
