Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Tumor

Here are some frequently asked questions about brain tumors.

Q: What is the brain, and how does it work?

A: The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system. The central nervous system controls everything we do. It controls the things we need to do, such as talk, walk, and chew our food. It also does the things that need to be done for us, such as control our breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. The brain sits in the bony skull. The spinal cord is surrounded by the vertebral column. These structures offer protection against the traumas of everyday life.

The brain is the center of these things.

• How we feel, or emotion

• How we think, or thought

• How we remember, or memory

• How we talk, or speech

It is made up of 3 main parts.

• The cerebrum

• The cerebellum

• The brain stem

Q: What is a brain tumor?

A: Cancer of the brain is when cancer cells start in the brain. There are many types of cancer that can form in the brain. The type of brain cancer a person has depends on which cells have become cancerous. Brain tumors that occur in childhood are very different from those that occur in adulthood.

Q: What are the different types of brain tumors?

A: Primary brain tumors are classified by the type of brain cell that makes up the tumor. The most common primary brain tumors are called gliomas. These begin in the glial, or supportive, tissue of the brain. There are many types of gliomas.

There are other types of brain tumors that do not start in the glial tissue.

Secondary brain tumors are also known as metastatic brain tumors. These are cancer cells that started growing in another organ, such as the lung, breast, skin, or kidney, then spread to the brain.

Q: What are the risk factors for brain tumors?

A: Risk factors are certain factors that increase the chance of a person getting cancer. In the case of brain tumors, there is no known strong risk factor. But some things put people at higher risk.

• Exposure to radiation, from nuclear accidents or from treatment for other tumors

• Long-term exposure to certain chemicals, such as vinyl chloride and petroleum products

• Impairment of the immune system, as with AIDS. Most of the tumors linked to an immune system defect are primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Trauma is not considered a risk factor for brain tumors. Most people who get brain tumors do not have any known risk factors. And many people with known risk factors never get the disease.

Q: What are the symptoms of a brain tumor?

A: These are the most common symptoms of a brain tumor.

• Headaches. These are usually worse in the morning and become less painful as the day goes on. About half of people with brain tumors complain of headaches.

• Seizures, which are uncontrollable convulsions of the body

• Nausea with or without vomiting. Vomiting is more typical in children.

• Weakness or loss of feeling on one side of the body

• Stumbling or inability to walk

• Changes in vision or abnormal eye movements

• Changes in personality, memory, and speech

• Changes in alertness, from increased sleepiness to coma

Q: Should everyone get a second opinion for brain tumor?

A : Many people with cancer get a second opinion from another doctor. There are many reasons to get a second opinion.

• If the person with cancer is not comfortable with the treatment decision

• If the type of cancer is rare

• If there are different ways to treat the cancer

• If the first doctor is not a cancer expert

Q: How can I get a second opinion?

A: There are many ways to get a second opinion.

• Ask a primary care doctor. He or she may be able to suggest a specialist. This may be a surgeon, medical oncologist, or radiation oncologist. Sometimes these doctors work together at cancer centers or hospitals. Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion.

• Call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service. The number is 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). They have information about treatment facilities. These include cancer centers and other programs supported by the National Cancer Institute.

• Consult the Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists. This book from the American Board of Medical Specialists lists doctors by state. It gives their specialty, background, and training. It is available at most public libraries. You can also view it online at www.abms.org.

• Seek other options. Check with a local medical society, a nearby hospital or medical school, or a support group to get names of doctors who can give you a second opinion. Or ask other people who’ve had cancer for their recommendations.

Q: How do doctors treat a brain tumor?

A: Doctors treat a brain tumor with these methods.

• Surgery

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

• A combination of these treatments

Q: What should I know about clinical trials for brain cancer?

A: Clinical trials are studies of new kinds of cancer treatments. Doctors use clinical trials to learn how well new treatments work and what their side effects are. Promising treatments are ones that work better or have fewer side effects than the current treatments. People who participate in these studies get to use treatments before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves them. People who join trials also help researchers learn more about cancer and help future cancer patients.