06/07/2024
A brain tumor is characterized by abnormal growth or a cell mass in or around the brain tissue. People with stressful lives, unhealthy diets, poor physical activity, alcohol addictions, and tobacco consumption are more likely to develop brain tumors. Men are more likely to develop brain tumors.
Knowledge and awareness about this disease, particularly its risk factors, symptoms, preventive ways, and treatment solutions can help in dealing with it better. In today’s fast paced life, nobody wants to distract himself or herself from personal development to treatment and care. So, it’s better to choose preventive healthcare over treatments. Let’s explore the crucial information related to brain tumors in this article.
What is Brain Tumor?
A mass of abnormal cells in your brain is called a brain tumor. It may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). However, both might pose a threat to life by affecting the brain's critical areas and its functions.
Risk Factors for Brain Tumor
It is crucial to stay aware of factors that could make you more vulnerable to brain tumors in order to reduce your risk of getting one. Following are the common risk factors for brain tumor:
- Age: Although adults over 65 are more likely to have brain tumors, people of all ages can be affected by them.
- Genetics: Certain hereditary disorders or genetic syndromes are linked to brain tumors. It is advisable to discuss family medical history with your doctor.
- Radiation Exposure: Brain tumor risk has been linked to ionizing radiation exposure, which can occur from medical imaging tests or specific occupational settings like nuclear power plants.
- Stress & Sedentary Lifestyle: Brain tumors are typically more common in people who lead sedentary lifestyles and experience high levels of stress in their lives.
- Lifestyle and Dietary Factors: Consuming foods high in dietary N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) and their precursors, such as cured meat, fruits, and vegetables, has been linked to the development of brain tumors in people. As a result, such people are more likely to develop tumors.
- Gender Predisposition: Compared to women, men are more likely to develop brain tumors.
Brain Tumor Treatment Options
- Brain tumors classified as benign (noncancerous) are generally removed surgically and do not usually recur.
- It becomes necessary to remove the tumor surgically in order to completely prevent cancer from spreading. The tumor's surgical removal is a difficult procedure that requires extreme precision. Tumor removal can help restore neurological balance and alleviate the symptoms that the tumor is causing.
- Surgery of brain tumors has now been simplified by using advanced cortical mapping enhanced imaging and fluorescent dyes
- Cortical mapping assists the doctor in identifying the parts of the brain that are responsible for communication skills, motor skills, and sense organ functioning.
- Enhanced imaging devices assist the surgeon in performing the surgery accurately and with high precision without damaging the surrounding areas. It also helps the surgeon to locate the exact location of the tumor affected area.
- Doctors often treat tumors with a combination of therapies. Following are the other treatment options for brain tumor:
- Radiation therapy
- Radiosurgery
- Brachytherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Watchful waiting/active surveillance
- Treatments for symptom relief include:
- Shunts(a thin piece of tubing to drain excess fluid and relieve pressure inside the skull)
- Medicines that can help in reducing the pressure within your skull
- Palliative care
Lifestyle Tips to Minimize the Risk of Developing Brain Tumor
Following are certain tips that can help you to minimize risk of developing brain tumors:
- Dietary Practices: It's critical to maintain a well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Sugar and processed food avoidance can lower the risk of cancer.
- Regular Exercising: A good physical activity everyday helps to maintain a healthy weight and improve blood flow to the brain, supporting your overall cognitive functioning.
- Potentially Harmful Substances: Reducing alcohol intake and quitting tobacco use are important measures to lower the risk of many cancers.
- Improving Indoor Air Quality: Using air purifiers and maintaining adequate ventilation can help lower indoor pollution exposure, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
- Taking Care of Your Dietary Choices: You can reduce your brain tumor risk by choosing organic produce, fishes having less mercury in it, and avoiding processed foods that are loaded with additives and preservatives.
- Safe Food Storage: Using glass or stainless-steel containers rather than plastic ones lowers the risk of exposure to chemicals that may be harmful, like bisphenol A (BPA).
- Careful Product Selection: It is recommended to give preference to household cleaners free of dangerous chemicals (such as phthalates and parabens), as well as natural and organic personal care products.
- Early Detection: Brain tumors may not show any clear symptoms when they first appear, which emphasizes the value of routine examinations in spotting any possible warning signs.
- Open Communication: Keeping lines of communication open and clear with your doctor makes it possible to discuss potential lifestyle changes and conduct a thorough assessment of each person's unique risk factors.
- Continuous Monitoring: Regular examinations allow for the evaluation of the success of any preventive actions that have already been implemented, providing a chance for timely modifications.
Top Neuro-Surgeons in Rajasthan at Eternal Hospital
Following are the top neurosurgeons in Rajasthan at Eternal Hospital:
- Dr. Sushil Chandra Taparia: He is presently serving as Director – Neuro-Surgery, Eternal Hospital, Jaipur. He specializes in cranial micro neuro-surgery for brain tumors. He also has expertise in neuromodulation and deep brain stimulation surgeries.
- Dr. Yashpal Singh Rathore: He is currently serving as Senior Consultant - Neuro Surgery at Eternal hospital. He specializes in micro neurosurgery, treating brain tumors, and skull base surgeries.
Conclusion
A brain tumor diagnosis can be frightening and stressful. However, it's important to know that not all brain tumors are cancerous; in fact, about two-thirds are benign. Despite being non-cancerous, they can still impact your brain's function. Rest assured, your doctor will create a personalized and comprehensive treatment plan to address the tumor and enhance your quality of life.
If you are looking for the best comprehensive brain care in Rajasthan, choose Eternal Hospital. Book your appointment now!
FAQs
Q1: What causes a tumor in the brain?
A: It may be determined by an individual's environment, genes, or both. Certain genetic disorders make a person more vulnerable for overproduction of certain cells.
Q2: Can someone with a brain tumor lead a normal life?
A: The brain tumor prognosis greatly depends on the age of the patient, type of tumor, its location in the brain, and the patient's response to treatment. High-grade brain tumors have the potential to grow rapidly and recur after treatment.
Q3: Which doctors specialize in treating brain tumors?
A: Generally, a multidisciplinary team comprising neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuro-oncologists, neuroradiologists, neuropathologists, radiation oncologists, physical therapists, and other experts with advanced training and extensive experience in treating brain tumors, treat a brain tumor patient.