What is a Brain Tumor?

A brain tumor is a growth of cells in or near the brain. Brain tumors can occur in tissues. Brain tumors can also occur in nearby tissues. Nearby areas include blood vessels, the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, and the membrane covering the brain. These are called primary brain tumors. Sometimes cancer spreads to the brain from another part of the body. These tumors are secondary brain tumors, also known as metastatic brain tumors. Some brain tumors are not cancer. These are called non-cancerous brain tumors or benign brain tumors. Non-cancerous brain tumors can grow over time and put pressure on the brain. Another type of brain cancer is brain cancer, also known as malignant brain cancer. Brain cancer can grow rapidly. Cancer cells can invade and destroy cells.

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Types of Brain Tumor:

• Gliomas and related brain tumors

• Choroid plexus tumors

• Embryonal tumors

• Germ cell tumors

• Pineal tumors

• Meningiomas

• Nerve tumors

• Pituitary tumors

• Other brain tumors

Symptoms:

Brain surgery can be used to treat or manage a variety of conditions, including:

• Headache or pressure in the head that is worse in the morning

• Headaches that happen more often and seem more severe

• Headaches that are sometimes described as tension headaches or migraines

• Nausea or vomiting

• Eye problems, such as blurry vision, seeing double or losing sight on the sides of your vision

• Losing feeling or movement in an arm or a leg

• Trouble with balance

• Speech problems

• Feeling very tired

• Confusion in everyday matters

• Memory problems

• Having trouble following simple commands

• Personality or behaviour changes

• Seizures, especially if there is no history of seizures

• Hearing problems

• Dizziness or a sense that the world is spinning, also called vertigo

• Feeling very hungry and gaining weight

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How you prepare

Your healthcare provider will conduct a physical exam and blood tests to ensure you are healthy enough for brain tumour surgery. They may also perform imaging tests such as

• MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

• CT (Computed Tomography) scans

• PET scans (Positron Emission Tomography)

• Angiography

These imaging tests create detailed images of your brain's tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. These images help your surgeon identify the areas that require treatment.

Your surgeon will provide you with information about the following:

• Making changes to your health prior to brain surgery

• If you smoke tobacco, it is recommended to stop smoking several weeks prior to brain surgery. Smoking can increase the risk of surgery complications and make it more difficult for you to recover.

  
  

• During and after the procedure, your surgeon will brief you on the details of the operation, answer any queries you may have, and explain the potential side effects. The length of time you will need to recover depends on the kind of surgery you have. You may also need to undergo neurological rehabilitation.

Surgery

The goal of brain surgery is to remove all brain tumors. The tumor cannot be completely removed. If possible, the surgeon will remove as much of the brain tumor as is safe. Brain removal surgery may be used to treat brain cancer and benign brain tumors. This makes it possible to remove the tumor. Other tumor cells cannot be separated from the surrounding tissue. Sometimes the brain tumor is close to the main part of the brain. In this case, surgery may be risky. The surgeon will remove as much tumor as is safe. Removing only part of the brain tumor is sometimes called subtotal resection.

• Radiation therapy

• Radio Surgery

• Chemotherapy

• Targeted therapy

• Recovering after Treatment

Benefits/Risks

Benefits:

• Brain Tumor surgery can save lives,

• Treat underlying medical conditions

• Remove a tumor

• Reduce pressure on the brain

• Repair a brain abnormality

  
  
  
  

​Risks and complications of brain surgery:

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Reactions to anaesthesia

• Headaches

• Aphasia

• Brain swelling

• Confusion or delirium

• Dizziness

• Problems with movement or balance

Long-term risks include:

• Behavioural changes

• Brain damage

• Difficulty walking

• Memory loss

• Speech problems

• Weakness in arms or legs

Brain surgery recovery and outlook

How long does brain Tumor surgery take?

Your brain surgery recovery depends on the type and extent of the surgery. Generally, a less invasive brain surgery will take several weeks to recover, while an open brain tumor surgery can take six weeks to a few months. Your surgeon will provide you with an estimate of how long it will take you to feel fully recovered.

When can I go back to work and resume normal activities?

It is important to consult your healthcare provider as soon as possible after brain surgery. They may have specific recommendations for you based on your type of surgery. It is important to visit your healthcare provider in the weeks, months, and even years after your surgery for imaging tests to track your healing progress.