Brain Tumor Signs And Symptoms - What Are The Warning Signs?

A brain tumor is a growth in the brain that may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Both a benign and malignant tumor can cause symptoms because the tumors' growth takes up space and causes pressure and compression on vital nerve tissue. Review these symptoms to detect if you have any of the warning signs of a tumor and learn more about the cause, diagnosis and treatment.

Brain Tumor Signs And Symptoms Cancer Medicine

The most common symptom is a headache. 90% of those with a tumor in the brain will experience a headache during the course of the illness. The headache may be described as a an intermittent (off and on) deep ache, or pressure. It is not usually described as throbbing. The headache may be increased by coughing, straining, or changing positions (i.e. standing to lying down). Headaches caused by tumors are usually more intense in the morning at the early stages of tumor growth.

Other symptoms of brain tumor may include nausea and vomiting (some persons may vomit without any preceding nausea), sudden changes in vision (i.e. double vision), memory lapses, changes in personality, or seizures.

Tumor Cause, Diagnosis and Treatment

There is no known cause for primary brain tumors (tumors that originate in the brain) and most tumors of the brain have spread (metastasized) from cancer elsewhere in the body.

The aforementioned symptoms may be noted and should be evaluated by a physician so a proper diagnosis can be made. The evaluation may include a physical examination and specialized tests such as CT or MRI scans, or EEG (electroencephalogram instrument records brain activity).

Tumors of the brain are treated by surgically removal if possible (inoperable brain tumors can not be removed because they are too large or in an inaccessible area). Radiation treatments or chemotherapy may also be considered as treatment options.

Brain Tumor - There is A Cure

To a layman, brain tumor is basically cancer of the brain. Medulloblastoma, ependymoma, glioma, teratoma, atypical teratoid rhadoid tumor, etc, are names associated with different types of brain tumor. Cancer Medicine

In simple terms, brain tumor is no more than uncontrolled growth of cells forming a lump in the brain. Just like any other form of cancers, brain tumor can spread and proliferate to any other parts of the body. Even before the brain tumor proliferates, or metastasize as a medical doctor or an oncologist would say it, the tumor could wreak havoc in the brain. Our brain, as we know it, controls the rest of the body. Any disturbance up there will affect our normal functioning of the various faculties. Therefore, symptoms of brain tumor really depends on where and how big the tumor is.

This article brings to light a relatively new form of treatment that could bring hope to those afflicted with brain tumor.

The ideal objective of any treatment for brain tumor is total removal of the tumor, without any recurrence and proliferation. The most common treatment is surgical removal of the tumor. Surgery posts the high risks of damaging even a tiny bit of the surrounding structure, tissues or nerves.  Apart from conventional surgery, the newer types of surgery include what is known as stereotactic radiosurgery and gamma knife radiosurgery.  These two forms of surgery are specific, but are still considered ionizing and invasive, respectively. This article shares with the reader a non-surgical, non-ionizing, and non-invasive form of treatment for cancer.

This technology is commercially known as CYTOTRON, or scientifically known as RFQMR or Rotational Field Quantum Magnetic Resonance. Cytotron came into the world in 2006 after more than a decade of research and fine-tuning. It is invented by Dr. Rajah Vijay Kumar from Bangalore, India. Dr Kumar is a tissue reengineering scientist. He works with medical doctors and specialist in inventing the Cytotron. This technology was first successfully applied to the treatment of osteoarthritis. For details on this aspect, please refer to my upcoming article 'Osteoarthritis - There Is cure!'.

The layman explanation of Cytotron in cancer treatment is simplified here. The Cytotron uses radio and near radio frequency to beam specifically on the tumor or cancerous area. What Cytotron tries to accomplish is to induce the self-death of the cancer cells. This is known as apoptosis in medical term. In cancer cells, the process of natural death is missing due to some missing process in the cell cycle. With Cytotron, that process of natural death is restored without affecting the neighboring normal cells. With the many cases that had been treated, the MRI results showed objective evidence of the arrest of cancer growth and also the disappearance of the cancer cells.

One of the most amazing successful cases of Cytotron treatment on cancer was a 7 year-old girl from Ipoh of Perak state, Malaysia. This girl, Ying, was detected with brain tumor when her parents noticed she was not able to behave normally and knocked into things around the house. Her brain tumor led to her loss of vision and, if untreated, she was on the brink of death. About one year after the tumor was detected, it had grown from 3 to 4 centimeters, and then, increased by another centimeter in just another 4 months. Then, she was put on a 28 consecutive, 1 hour per day treatment with the Cytotron. During the Cytotron treatment, her condition had already begun to show improvement. 3 months after the treatment, her MRI clearly showed that the brain tumor growth had been successfully arrested. Half a year later, the tumor totally collapsed. Today, at the age of 9 years old, she has gone back to school like other kids.

To those who are living with the agony of cancer, CYTOTRON, or RFQMR, may bring new light to their lives.

Marijuana Helps Cuts Tumor Growth in Brain Cancer and Help Relieve Pain and Suffering for Others

Most individuals when they hear of cannabis, they think pot, chronic, marijuana, an unlawful herb which can cause them long prison convictions where the authorities throw away the key. Some people have heard that the use of marijuana can drive you nuts. However how many of you knew there is another side to marijuana use. Yes! outside of recreational drug use. Marijuana help A.I.D.S suffers, cancer suffers, suffers of Multiple Sclerosis. Various studies have shown cannabis may be useful in addressing alcohol abuse,attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or AD/HD), collagen-induced arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis,asthma,atherosclerosis,bipolar disorder, colorectal cancer,depression, diabetic retinopathy, dystonia, epilepsy, digestive diseases, gliomas, hepatitis C, Huntington's disease, hypertension, urinary incontinence, leukemia, skin tumors, morning sickness, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Parkinson's disease, pruritus, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sickle-cell disease, sleep apnea, and anorexia nervosa. However regarding some of these claims validation of these results needs longer, controlled studies on broader samples. Which may not occur due to the criminal status of this magnificent herb

Although the extent of the medicinal value of cannabis has been disputed, and despite the opposition to research and use put forward by most national governments, it does have several well-documented beneficial effects. Among these are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, lowered intraocular eye pressure (shown to be effective for treating glaucoma), as well as general analgesic effects (pain relief). In fact Marijuana has been used in China and India as early as 3000 B.C. to treat a variety of ailments from easing the pain of childbirth to relieving asthma and epilepsy symptoms, even improving appetite and mental or emotional dispositions. In fact marijuana was the weapon of choice when it came to medicinal treatment in pre 1930's U.S.A. Cannabis was used in the treatment of all kinds of malady from tooth ache to several forms of anxiety disorders. However it is in recent times that marijuana also known as Hemp is again finding prominence in the medicinal arena. This was influenced by efforts being done by researchers investigating methods of ascertaining cannabis intoxication when they observed that smoking the drug reduced intraocular pressure. Thus arousing efforts for further research in the medicinal benefits of marijuana.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a policy in May 1999 that prescribed the need for further research into the use of marijuana for medical treatment. The NIH maintains that the use of marijuana for medical reasons must involve an analysis of the benefits of use as well as the possible risks. Although the United States has not openly supported any efforts regarding the medicinal efficacy of marijuana. Most other countries have researched and identified various areas in which Cannabis help relieve suffering.

Research released in the British Journal of Cancer reported that the intra-cranial administration of THC was associated with reduced tumor cell proliferation in humans with higher glioblastomaecting the viability of non transformed counterparts. This was supported by Italian researcher who identified "cannabinoids have displayed a great potency in reducing glioma tumor growth. Appearing to be selective antitumoral agents as they kill glioma cells without affecting the viability of non transformed counterparts." What this means really is that cannabiniods which is a component of cannabis effectively isolates and destroy brain cancer cells without harming or affecting healthy brain cells unlike any invasive or radiation therapy known of. Spanish researcher Dr. Manuel Guzman, one of the world's leading experts in the field, wrote in a 2003 review in the journal Nature Reviews: Cancer, "Cannabinoids are selective anti-tumor compounds, as they can kill tumor cells without affecting their non-transformed counterparts." It is likely that cannabinoid receptors regulate cell-survival and cell-death pathways differently in tumor and non tumor cells." But Medicinal marijuana benefits doesn't stop with cancer either, remember I mentioned earlier it also delivers benefit to persons suffering with A.I.D.S

What assistance does marijuana offer A.I.D.S stricken individuals? Here is how marijuana helps; Researchers at Columbia University publicized clinical trial data in 2007 showing that HIV/AIDS patients who breathed in cannabis four times everyday experienced considerable increases in food intake with little evidence of irritation and no impairment of cognitive performance. They reasoned that smoked marijuana has a clear medical benefit in HIV-positive patients. In another study in 2008, researchers found that marijuana significantly reduces HIV-related neuropathic pain when added to a patients already-prescribed pain management regimen and may be an "effective option for pain relief" in those whose pain is not controlled with current medications. Medical cannabis appears to help negate appetite loss, nausea, and pain associated with HIV and AIDS. Additionally marijuana's use has been known to ease the dementia, also known as AIDS dementia complex, HIV dementia, HIV encephalopathy, HIV-associated dementia, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder, and HIV-related dementia suffered by many AIDS patients during the end stages of the disease.

That's cancer and AIDS what else is there? It is a very long list which I will share with in another article. However some individuals may think that cannabis is just great for any disease or disorder. The problem is that every individual responds to cannabis differently depending upon their age and illness, their unique genetics, the setting in which cannabis is utilised, the particular strain, makeup, and potency of the cannabis used, and the unique thinking and emotions of that patient. It remains arguable whether medical marijuana is a legitimate treatment or a miracle drug. I personally cannot substantiate that however from where I stand it seems marijuana is very helpful.

Different Types of Tumor Treatments

Almost every cancer shows in the appearance of a tumor which is attaching themselves to several organs like the brain, lungs, cervix, liver, prostate and pancreas. Other form of cancers such as leukemia or blood cancers was not manifested by tumors.

With some cases of the patients that cancers were involving tumors, there are various suggested treatments available to defeat the growing tumors. These are some types of tumor treatments that can help in restoring the patient's health without too many damages.

Surgical treatment

From definite forms of cancer like breast or prostate cancers, where the tumor cells are able to be removed from the involved organ with no considerable damage to the patient rather with the organ, the usual mode of treatment should be surgery.

Surgery was also been used to remove the surrounding tissues of the affected organ to be assured not to remain to the other safe sides. Surgical treatment requires the patient to stay in the hospital and typically followed by the radiation or chemotherapy to clean up any remains of the cancerous cells.

More often, the concerned organ loses a bundle of tissues along with the muscles in the process of terminating the cancerous cells just like in the case of breast cancer. But, it is still the doctor who needs to decide on the surgery after the various testing and reviews of the results along with the location of the affected organs.

Chemotherapy

This type of tumor treatment consists o drugs which are either be injected to a patient or have been given orally. Though, almost all patients obtain the drug doses via catheter for them to cause a minimal discomfort.

The treatment works through successive periods like treatment period and the recovery period. But, chemotherapy can also kill healthy cells to its intention of destroying the cancerous cells. The patients may also suffer horrible side effects like diarrhea, vomiting and hair losses. There are several drugs that can be managed together in destroying the cancer cells, patients should always be on their regular check-ups for the monitoring of their treatment progress.

Radiation Therapy

The radiation therapy is commonly used after undergoing a surgery to totally eliminate any existing cancerous cells that may reform to cause chaos again. Patients were given the radioactive pills to be swallowed and in some other cases, the treatment was given trough intravenously.

With this tumor treatment, the radioactive matter will destroy the cancerous cells that must have been hiding inside or at the rare of the tumor. The patients may also undergo an external beam radiation that was projected right to the site of the affected organ. This type of treatment was run at around 5 days each week and patient is permitted to go home after every session.

Other Treatment Forms

Target therapy - it is utilized to purposely target the cancerous cells as leaving behind the normal cells unharmed.

Immunotherapy - it edifies that immune system in fighting the assault of cancerous cells.

Herbal treatments and acupuncture - these are the alternatives of the tumor treatments that have not adequate research in backing up their declaration of effectiveness.

Brain Tumors and Nutrition - Which Foods to Eat to Slow Tumor Growth

Nutrition is crucial for our wellbeing. Our way of eating, however seems not to acknowledge this fact. How, otherwise, would we eat tons of fried stuff, of deep fried stuff especially, like French fries, deep fried meat and other oily food? The average American eats too much fat, and too much heated fat. If he ate more oily fish like salmon or sardines, he would eat better foods. Cancer Medicine

It is thought that at least 35 % of all tumors have a connection with nutrition. When we add certain lifestyle factors like smoking or drinking alcohol, the danger of developing some kind of cancer or tumor increases a lot.

Healthy foods that can protect us come from the reign of the plants. Plants give us certain protective ingredients that give great benefit. to the human being. They protect our cells from oxidation, they help protect cells from cancer and they give us, another protective factor called bioflavonoids. Foods that are rich in botanical factors include berries, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes like beans of all kinds, (including soy) And, of course, whole grains.

Why should we eat broccoli? Broccoli belongs to a group of vegetables that are called cruciferous because its flowers have the shape of a cross. Another vegetable t of the same group hat is very healthy is Brussels sprouts. These vegetables are protective against the formation of cancer, at least this was shown in laboratory. Other vegetables that belong to the same group and that we should eat regularly are cabbage, cauliflower, watercress and some less known kinds. A part from the protective factors they bring with them, they also give us some of the necessary indigestible fibers

As far as brain tumors are concerned, they may be influenced by a healthy diet. Obviously, a healthy diet is only part of the treatment. If you have to undergo chemotherapy or other chemical treatments, agree to them as long as you find an improvement in your health. Some nutritionists suggest the daily intake of at least one to three raw apples. They also suggest to eat whole grain bread and nothing else. As drink, green tea seems to be the choice.This tumor-starving diet seems to have proven to be successful.

If you are not convinced of the tumor starving diet, eat the above indicated vegetables and add also almonds, walnuts and pine nuts to your diet. They will help you overcome your fatigue that comes along with brain tumor.

As already mentioned, another very important nutritional factor are dietary fibers that help prevent cancer. These fibers are the indigestible part of foods. These foods origin from plants. They help to maintain a healthy colon. They also dilute potentially hazardous substances that might induce cancer. The intake of fibers is crucial for our overall wellbeing and health and therefore also useful in case of brain tumor.

A Brain Tumor Symptom - Truth About Neck Pain Revealed

Brain tumor symptoms can be hard to recognize, simply because of the variety of symptoms that can occur. Symptoms ranging from headaches and neck pain to seizures and stomach problems are all brain tumor symptoms. These symptoms occur when the brain tumor causes damage to various clusters of nerve cells, causing spurious signals or a sudden lack of signals to various parts of your body. Early detection can be extremely difficult with slow-growing brain tumors because of the gradual onset of symptoms, which may be very subtle at first.

Cancer Medicine With a brain tumor, neck pain can occur at times, but recurring headaches are the most frequent sign of a brain tumor. But diagnosis can be difficult. Most people have headaches, and many have recurring headaches or migraines - but not a brain tumor. Headaches that are caused by brain tumors usually have other symptoms that occur simultaneously. Double vision, vomiting, or confusion are commonly seen with headaches associated with brain tumors, but again, severe migraine sufferers can have these symptoms as well. Sometimes the headaches come while asleep, and are noticed strongly immediately upon awakening, but subside after a few hours. Brain tumors can also cause headaches that get worse with exercise or coughing.

There are several other brain tumor symptoms, neck pain included. Headaches and neck pain are common, but so are gastrointestinal problems. Vomiting is more likely to occur in cases of stem cell tumors in the brain. Often, especially in the latter stages, brain tumors cause confusion, loss of reasoning ability, speech problems, memory loss, and impaired concentration. The brain tumor may also cause the victim to sleep much more than usual. Depending on the location of the brain tumor, between fourteen and ninety-four percent of patients suffer some form of seizures. Partial seizures are not uncommon, where, for instance, only the left side of a persons body will go into a seizure. The patient may also remain conscious during a partial seizure, experiencing odd tingling sensations and confusion. Generalized seizures, as are often experienced by epileptics, are not very common in brain tumor cases.

Usually, the specific symptoms and location of a brain tumor will help a doctor diagnose its type. For example, if the tumor is a brain stem gliomas, the patient will usually suddenly develop problems swallowing, impaired hearing or vision, difficulty or clumsiness walking, vomiting after waking up in the morning, nasal or slurred speech, and muscle paralysis on one side of the face.

Brain Tumor - The Symptoms and Diagnosis

The signs of brain tumor depend on the size, location and type of tumor. Symptoms may appear whenever a tumor pushes a nerve or injures a particular area in the brain. They can also be caused if the brain enlarges or fluids build up in the skull.

Majority of the common signs of brain cancers are the following: Cancer Medicine

- Headaches (regularly worse at daybreak)

- Vomiting or nausea

- Problems in walking or balancing

- Changes in personality, mood or capacity to contemplate

- Memory problems

- Changes in vision, hearing or speech

- Muscle trembling or jerking

- Numbness or itchy feeling in legs or arms

If the symptoms indicate that there is indication of brain cancer, the doctor can do any of the subsequent procedures as basis of its diagnosis:

- Physical examination - the doctor examines general sign of health

- Neurologic examination - the physician checks the attentiveness, strength of muscle, reflexes, coordination and reaction to pain. The eyes are also examined to find out if there is any swelling due to the tumor pushing the nerve which attaches the brain and eyes.

- CT scan - an x-ray apparatus connected to computer which takes series of thorough pictures of a head. The patient is given an injection of special tint in order that the brain can be seen visibly in the picture. The picture may show growths or tumors inside the brain.

- MRI - a forceful magnet attached to computer which makes comprehensive pictures of sections in the body. These pictures are shown on a screen and can be printed also. Sometimes, a particular dye is inserted in order to help illustrate differences in the various tissues inside the brain.

The following tests are also considered to help diagnose brain tumor:

• Angiogram - a particular dye is injected to the bloodstream and runs in the blood vessels inside the brain in order for them to appear on x-ray. If a growth is present, it can be seen by the doctor.

• Skull x-ray - various forms of brain cancers cause calcium accumulation inside the brain or changes on the bones in the skull. Through x-ray, changes can be checked.

• Spinal tap - the physician may take a sample of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid - a fluid that fills up the spaces around the brain as well as the spinal cord). This is done with use of local anesthesia. The spinal tap can be done around thirty minutes. The patient lies flat within several hours after extraction of CSF to avoid headache. Laboratory test is done to check for the presence of cancer cells and other indications of problems.

• Myelogram - refers to the x-ray of the spine or spinal cord. Spinal tap is done by injecting a special dye in the cerebrospinal fluid. The patient tilts to let the dye combine to the fluid. This procedure assists the doctor discover cancer on the spinal cord.

• Biopsy - it is the removal of sample of tissue to search for cancer cells. The pathologist examines the cells under the microscope in order to verify abnormal cells. A biopsy may show tumor, tissue changes which might lead to tumor and other situations. This is the surest way in diagnosing brain cancer.

Headache May Be One of the Brain Tumor Symptoms

Having headache occasionally is quite common to all, and there is nothing to worry. If it is constant or recurring, it creates in many patients a stress. Instantly they rush to their family care doctor or to a special clinic with a fear that it may be one of the brain tumor symptoms. If the doctor suspects symptoms of brain tumor, the patient feels highly afraid of his pathetic condition with each and everything.  Sometimes, stress causes tension headache symptoms which are identified as 'secondary' since stress is the organism's total response to environmental demands or pressures. Whatever may be the causes of headache, clinical specialists do view seriously. Still, the headache is exclusively dependent on the condition of the patient.                                                                                            

The headache with brain tumor symptoms is entirely different from one due to stress. Sometimes, the patient experiences severe headache symptoms and complaints known as "red flags" connected with coughing, sneezing or bending over. All such symptoms are serious to any patient as they can consequently cause other complications. Many patients can also have some other attacks with neurological symptoms like partial memory loss and affected personality. The symptoms can also include dizziness, tinnitus and incontinence. When the diagnosis gives abnormal results and the patient has visual defects or weakness then either a CT or MRI of the brain is needed. So, headache of any nature is serious and needs immediate treatment from a neurological specialist.

Signs of brain tumor headaches:                                                                          

It can produce increased pain all over the day that is throbbing in nature. The pain will be mild in the morning and then gradually progressing to the worst level throughout the day. In some cases, the pain will be deep all through the day. To the worst of all, it extends over weeks or even months together. Some patients may experience the symptoms of migraine.

Treatment                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

There are certain things which should be normally avoided to be free any risky condition. They include chain smoking, consuming tobacco, and consuming excess alcohol.  At the beginning stage, chemotherapy and radiation may be helping you with constant care. For some patients, steroids can relieve pains by progressive steps. The response will be good for steroids or anti-inflammatories. When there is no improvement they need surgery. Many times the symptoms disappear after surgery.