A brain tumor is an abnormal growth in or on the brain. There are many different types of brain tumors; some are benign (bih-NINE), and some are malignant. A benign tumor is not cancerous, and won't spread to other areas of the body. Because it has distinct borders, this type of tumor may be removable through surgery alone. A malignant tumor is life-threatening, either because of its location, or because it's cancerous, which means it's made of abnormal cells that divide without control. Cancerous tumors invade and destroy surrounding tissue and can spread to other areas of the body, though they're usually confined to the brain and spinal cord. To determine if a particular tumor is cancerous, doctors may do a biopsy, where a portion of the tumor is extracted. Both benign and malignant brain tumors can be serious, because as a tumor grows, pressure builds up in the brain. This can cause severe headaches that get progressively worse when lying down. Later, the headaches may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. A brain tumor can also cause vision problems, reduced sense of smell, difficulty with speech, weakness on one side of the body, loss of sensation in the face, memory loss, seizures, or even a major personality change. Most brain tumors are treatable, and many can be cured. Treatment usually consists of surgery to remove the tumor, sometimes followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The methods chosen usually depend on the type of tumor, its location, and if cancerous, what stage or grade the tumor is. To ease discomfort, drugs may also be prescribed. For more information on brain tumors, contact a health care specialist.
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