What are the best treatments for brain tumor?

A brain tumor is a cancerous or non-cancerous mass or growth of abnormal cells in the brain. In some cases, there may be no symptoms. Some brain tumors are benign while some are malignant. Some of the most common symptoms of a brain tumor include headaches, vision problems, and changes in personality, memory loss, mood swings, stiffness on one side of the body, and loss of balance. Benign brain tumors rarely spread into nearby tissues. Primary brain tumors begin when normal cells acquire mutations in their DNA. These mutations allow cells to grow and divide at increased rates and to continue living when healthy cells would die. The result is a mass of abnormal cells that forms a tumor.

Grade 1 brain tumors may be cured if they are completely removed by surgery. Grade 2 brain tumors are cancerous yet slow-growing, and the cells look slightly abnormal when viewed under a microscope. These tumors may spread to nearby tissues, or they may come back after initial treatment. Grade 3 brain tumors are cancerous and grow faster than grade 1 and 2 tumors. Diagnosis of a brain tumor is done by a neurologic examination conducted by a neurologist or a neurosurgeon, CT Scan (Computed Tomography Scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and other tests like an Angiogram, Spinal Tap, and Biopsy. The patient’s diagnosis helps in defining the line of treatment for a brain tumor.

Best treatments for brain tumor

Brain tumor treatment is a highly specialized field of medical science as the brain is the most complex organ of the human body and the medical fraternity has been doing in-depth research on the brain’s functions for many decades. Treatment options for brain tumors include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. For a low-grade brain tumor, surgery may be the only treatment needed especially to remove the entire tumor.

Brain tumor surgery

Surgery is one form of brain tumor treatment. A neurosurgeon performs a medical procedure called craniotomy to make an opening in the skull. During the operation, the surgeon attempts to remove the entire tumor. If the tumor cannot be completely removed without damaging vital brain tissue, the neurosurgeon tries to remove as much of the tumor as possible.

Radiation therapy for brain tumor

Radiation therapy using external beams of x-rays, gamma rays, or protons is done to kill the cancer cells and shrink brain tumors. The therapy is usually given for several weeks. A neurosurgeon may use radiation therapy to slow or stop the growth of a brain tumor. It is typically given after surgery and possibly along with chemotherapy. Patients with brain tumors quite often do well with either brachytherapy or external beam radiation. Success rates of around 90% or higher can be achieved with either approach.

Chemotherapy for brain tumor

Generally, chemotherapy is used for faster-growing brain tumors such as medulloblastoma and lymphoma which tend to respond better to chemotherapy than others. Individual treatment plans for brain tumor chemotherapy vary from patient to patient and typically the treatment may last six to twelve months.

Targeted therapy for brain tumor

In addition to standard chemotherapy, targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the brain tumor's specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to a tumor's growth and survival. This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of tumor cells and limits the damage to healthy cells.