Aka: Tumor in the Brain

By: Giles Somerville

BRAIN TUMORS

CAUSES• Brain Tumors are not infectious.• For most cases, the cause is unknown.• Certain genetic conditions may cause brain tumors• A definite risk is ionizing radiation.• Previous cancers can cause gliomas.

– The most common cancers to cause gliomas are lung cancer and breast cancer.

– The risk of this happening is low.

• Weakened immunity slightly increases risk of brain cancer.

CAUSES• There is some speculation that the electromagnetic field

of a cellular device can cause a brain tumor.• Not enough research has been done for this specific

topic• However, it has been found that the electromagnetic

field of a cell phone has other adverse effects on the human body.

TARGET POPULATION• Brain tumors are rare.• Brain tumors can affect anyone, although they are more

common the older you are.• Brain tumors are the most common type of solid tumor

found in children.• But it is very rare for a child to have a tumor.

BRAIN TUMORS (IN THE BRAIN)

• Surprisingly enough, Brain tumors exist in the brain.• There are several types (over 100 in fact) of brain

tumors (and in some cases the tumor doesn’t fit into any category).

• The tumor is generally named after the cell it grows from. Ex. Tumors growing from glial cells are called gliomas.

• Brain tumors are put into four groups called grades.• Low grade tumors are considered benign and grow slowly.• High grade tumors are malignant and grow quickly or

cannot be removed by surgery.

BRAIN TUMOR GRADES• Grade 1-2 (benign)

– Slow growing.– Less likely to come back after removal.– Not likely to spread to other parts of the brain.– Surgery may be all that is needed.

• Grade 3-4 (malignant)– Growing rapidly.– Life threatening.– Likely to come back after removal.– May spread to other parts of the brain.

• Primary tumors –tumors that originate in the brain.• Secondary (metastatic) tumors –tumors that originate

elsewhere in the body.

SYMPTOMS• Headaches• Seizures• Sickness• Drowsiness• All of those are very common symptoms of illness (they

only rarely indicate a brain tumor)• Problems with your eyes.

– Blurred vision– Floating shapes– Tunnel vision– Loss of vision

• Tumors can cause several different symptoms based on where they are in the brain.

Identifying Tumors• Most of the symptoms aforementioned are fairly common.• So how do you know if you have a tumor?• Brain tumors can be found in MRIs and CT scans.• An experienced doctor may be able to recognize when your

symptoms suggest that a tumor is present.

PROGNOSIS• There are 362880 ways to arrange the letters in

prognosis.• Living with a tumor can be pretty rough.• Depending on the tumor, it is likely you don’t have very

long to live though.• Life becomes about not feeling sick.(try alternative

treatments)• You need to start thinking about what happens to your

stuff after you die.• Other tumors can be removed and you can continue on

normally.

TREATMENT• Chemotherapy• Radiotherapy• Surgery (usually the preferred option)• Alternative treatments (not proven to work, but they

might make you feel better):– Acupuncture– Hypnosis– Meditation– Music therapy– Relaxation exercises

FAMOUS PEOPLE

• Bob Marley 1945-1981 Metastatic tumor• Ted Kennedy 1932-2009 Glioblastoma multiforme• Thor Heyerdahl 1914-2002 brain tumor

Thor was a Norwegian adventurer. He theorized, and showed, that ancient humans could have migrated across large bodies of water with simple rafts.

ORGANIZATIONS

• Braintumourrresearch.org• Anyone who has a brain tumor• Doctors who treat brain tumors• American Brain Tumor Association• National brain tumor Society• Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure• Acoustic Neuroma Association• Brain Science Foundation• Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada

That fight Brain tumors

TWO (OR MORE) CREDIBLE RESOURCES

British People. (2012, January 1). Brain tumours. Retrieved from http//www.cancerresearchuk.orgRetrieved from http//www.mayoclinic.comRetrieved from http//www.braintumourresearch.orgRetrieved from http//www.discoverymedicine.comRetrieved from http//www.braintumor.org

At least that’s what they said they wereThere is no guarantee that

all the information from these resources were used (or that any of it was used) in this presentation. An incredible resource

is Wikipedia.org