A ticking time bomb

Consider these symptoms: headaches, numbness or tingling in the arms or legs, seizures, memory problems, mood and personality changes, balance and walking problems, nausea and vomiting, changes in speech, vision, or hearing. Does it sound like something you or your loved one is experiencing? They may be facing early symptoms of brain tumours.

The brain is a soft, spongy mass of tissue. It is one of the largest and the most complex organs in the body. Brain tumours can occur at any age and the exact cause is not yet clear. “A brain tumour occurs when abnormal cells produce within any part of brain.

The incidence and prevalence of the condition is growing in India. This is the most common type of cancer among children. These tumours constitute approximately two per cent of all cancers in the country.” said Dr Anandh Balasubramaniam, Senior Neurosurgeon, Yashoda Hospitals, Secunderabad.

Explaining the types of tumours in brains, he said, “There are two types: Benign and malignant. Benign tumours are noncancerous. Malignant primary brain tumours are cancers that originate in the brain, typically grow faster than benign tumours, and aggressively invade surrounding tissue.”

“Although brain cancer rarely spreads to other organs, it can spread to other parts of the brain and central nervous system,” he cautioned. “Diagnosis and treatment for brain tumours had great advancement in the last few years.

The options are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Many people get a combination of treatments that are suggested according to their type, grade, and position of tumour and general health of patient,” said the doctor.