Brain cancer

These two types are equally numerous in the brain as a whole, although glial cells outnumber neurons roughly 4 to 1 in the cerebral cortex. Glia come in several types, which perform a number of critical functions, including structural support, metabolic support, insulation, and guidance of development. Primary tumors of the glial cells are called gliomas and often are malignant by the time they are diagnosed.

Primary brain tumors originate in your brain. They can develop from your: In adults, the most common types of brain tumors are gliomas and meningiomas.

Gliomas Gliomas are tumors Brain cancer develop from glial cells. The types of tumors that begin in glial cells are: Meningiomas are more common in women than men.

Schwannomas occur equally in both men and women. These tumors are usually benign, but they can cause complications because of their size and location.

Brain tumor - Wikipedia

Cancerous meningiomas and schwannomas are rare but can be very aggressive. Secondary brain tumors Secondary brain tumors make up the majority of brain cancers. They start in one part of the body and spread, or metastasize, to the brain.

The following can metastasize to the brain: Risk factors for brain tumors include: Family history Only about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers are genetically inherited, or hereditary.

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Talk to your doctor if several people in your family have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Your doctor can recommend a genetic counselor for you. Age Risk for most types of brain tumors increases with age. Race Brain tumors in general are more common among Caucasians.

However, African-American people are more likely to get meningiomas. Chemical exposure Being exposed to certain chemicals, such as those you might find in a work environment, can increase your risk for brain cancer. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health keeps a list of potential cancer-causing chemicals found in work places.

Exposure to radiation People who have been exposed to ionizing radiation have an increased risk of brain tumors. You can be exposed to ionizing radiation through high-radiation cancer therapies. You can also be exposed to radiation from nuclear fallout.

The nuclear power plant incidents in Fukushima and Chernobyl are examples of how people can be exposed to ionizing radiation. No history of chicken pox According to the American Brain Tumor Associationpeople with a history of childhood chicken pox have a decreased risk of getting brain tumors.

Brain tumor - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

What are the symptoms of a brain tumor? Symptoms of brain tumors depend on the location and size of the tumor.

Some tumors cause direct damage by invading brain tissue and some tumors cause pressure on the surrounding brain. Headaches are a common symptom of a brain tumor.

You may experience headaches that:Cancers of the brain are the consequence of abnormal growths of cells in the brain. Brain cancers can arise from primary brain cells, the cells that form other brain components (for example, membranes, blood vessels), or from the growth of cancer cells that develop in other organs and that have spread to the brain by the bloodstream (metastatic or secondary brain cancer).

Brain tumors are abnormal growths of cells in the brain.. Although such growths are popularly called brain tumors, not all brain tumors are cancer. Cancer is a term reserved for malignant tumors.

Types of brain cancer. Every brain cancer patient is different. The cancer experts at Cancer Treatment Centers of America ® (CTCA) have extensive experience in properly staging and diagnosing the disease, and developing a treatment plan that's tailored to your specific type of brain cancer..

Primary brain tumors are tumors that form from cells within the brain. There are an estimated , cases of brain tumors in the United States alone every year.

These tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous, and they can sometimes begin in the brain. However, they can also be a result of cancer that has spread from other parts of the body into the brain and its surrounding tissues. A brain tumor is a growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain.

Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly. There are an estimated , cases of brain tumors in the United States alone every year. These tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous, and they can sometimes begin in the brain.

However, they can also be a result of cancer that has spread from other parts of the body into the brain and its surrounding tissues.