Brain Tumour

The exact cause of primary brain tumours are not yet fully-documented. Most brain tumours develop from uncontrolled, abnormal growth in the brain cells. Some factors can increase the risk of developing primary brain tumours, including:

• Exposure to high doses of ionising radiation (used to treat another cancer)
• Gender (males are at higher risk)
• Increasing age (over 65)
• Race (Caucasians are at higher risk)

In addition, some hereditary factors increase your risk of developing a brain tumour, like neurofibromatosis, which is an inherited condition that affects the development and growth of nerve cells. The risks also increase if a person has a weakened immune system (eg. due to AIDS). So far, there has been no documented evidence to prove that use of mobile phones and microwave ovens can cause brain tumours.

Brain tumours are characterised by various symptoms, which may include any of the following:

• Change in mental state
• Loss of balance
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of memory
• Nausea and dizziness
• Problems in vision and speech
• Regular headaches (may worsen in the morning)
• Seizures
• Weakness in one part of the body

There are different treatment options available to manage brain tumours. A doctor will evaluate the condition and suggest the appropriate treatment, which could include:

• chemotherapy (given as an oral or an intravenous drug) is used to destroy cancerous brain cells
• radiosurgery, which is a non-invasive and painless procedure, uses precision beams targeted directly at a small area of the tumour to shrink it or prevent it from growing
• radiotherapy uses high energy rays to destroy the tumour. There may be side effects of hair loss and tiredness during this treatment
• surgery to remove part or all of the tumour, depending on the size and its location
• targeted drug therapy consisting of drugs that target specific tumour abnormalities

• Allergic reaction to drugs used in the treatment
• Depression
• Headaches
• Hearing loss
• Increased risk of blood clot formation
• Personality changes
• Premature menopause and infertility (potential side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy)
• Seizures
• Vision problems, if the brain tumour damages the nerves that connect to the visual cortex (part of the brain responsible for processing visual information)
• Weakness in one part of the body, if the brain tumour affects parts of the brain responsible for movement and strength of arms and legs