Brain cancer – causes, side effects and treatments at NaturalPedia.com

Brain cancer involves the growth of cells in the brain that create masses called tumors. Malignant, or cancerous, brain tumors often grow very quickly. These kinds of tumors are life-threatening, and they can disrupt the way the body functions.

Based on estimates from the American Cancer Society, cases of brain cancer are quite rare, and individuals have less than a one percent chance of developing a malignant brain tumor in their lifetime.

Known side effects of brain cancer

The symptoms of brain cancer often vary, and they depend on the size and location of the tumor. Some common brain cancer symptoms include:

• abnormal eye movements
• difficulty thinking
• difficulty walking
• drowsiness
• headaches (which are usually worse in the morning)
• a lack of coordination
• a lack of balance
• memory lapses
• muscle jerking
• muscle twitching
• nausea
• numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
• personality changes
• seizures
• speech problems
• syncope (unexplained fainting spells)
• vision problems
• unexplained passing out

Do take note that a lot of the symptoms listed above can be caused by less serious health conditions. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult a healthcare professional immediately.

Body systems harmed by brain cancer

Chemotherapy, a treatment often used address brain cancer, usually damages or kills rapidly growing cancer cells. However, it can also affect normal tissue.

Chemotherapy is often given intravenously to ensure that the drugs reach most body organs. The immune system is often “depressed” by chemotherapy, and this might cause a high susceptibility to infections. Other body systems, like the kidneys and reproductive organs, can also be damaged by chemotherapy.

Food items or nutrients that may prevent brain cancer

Healthcare professionals often advise individuals with brain cancer to try a ketogenic diet, which has been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s. The word “ketogenic” refers to the ketones that the body produces.

The human body normally turns carbohydrates from foods like sugar, bread, and pasta into glucose (a type of sugar) that is used for energy. In a ketogenic diet, the carbohydrate intake is restricted and the body can’t use glucose. This means the body must use fats as its source of energy, and this is a process known as “ketosis.”

There is also evidence that the ketogenic diet’s effect on homeostasis or brain regulation can help treat other brain disorders.

Treatments, management plans for brain cancer

There are several treatment and management plans for brain cancer, but the treatment for primary brain cancer is different from those that can address metastatic brain tumors (tumors that spread easily). Treatment for metastatic cancer often focuses on the original cancer site.

Brain cancer treatments include:

• Surgery – The most common treatment for brain cancer. However, in some cases, only part of the tumor can be removed because of its location. Inoperable tumors are located in a sensitive or inaccessible area of the brain.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy – Chemotherapy drugs can help destroy cancer cells in the brain and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy can help destroy tumor tissue or cancer cells that are impossible to surgically remove.
• Clinical trials – When advanced cases of brain cancer don’t respond to treatment, patients can resort to clinical trial therapies and medications. These are treatments that are still in the testing phase.

Where to learn more

• 300% Increased brain cancer risk for long-term users of cell phones and cordless phones, new study reveals
• Brain Cancer Treatment Using Garlic (Optimum Effect Recipe Included!)
• High brain cancer rates among children spurred four moms to create first ever pesticide-free community in Southern California
• Oops! Brain cancer patients over-irradiated with miscalibrated radiotherapy machines
• Radiation for Brain Cancer Reduces Brain Function in Children

Summary

Brain cancer involves the growth of cells in the brain that create masses called tumors. Malignant, or cancerous, brain tumors often grow very quickly. These kinds of tumors are life-threatening, and they can disrupt the way the body functions.

Symptoms of brain cancer may include abnormal eye movements, difficulty thinking, and drowsiness.

Treatment for brain cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and clinical trials.

Sources include

Healthline.com

MedicineNet.com

MedicalNewsToday.com