How a brain tumor is different than brain cancer
A brain tumor is a growth of new cells on any part of the brain. They can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). If the tumor breaks through the covering on the brain and starts to spread, then it is considered to be malignant. The problem is that with both of these conditions, the symptoms do not occur early and only occur when the pressure on the intra cranial increases.
The bones of the skull limit the space in which a tumor can grow. New growth will increase the pressure as it is being kept in a confined space by the skull. Some of the symptoms include headache, vomiting, and numbness of one or more of the limbs. They depend on the location of the tumor on the brain. Because the symptoms do not point to any specific problem, doctors must use imaging techniques to make a diagnosis.
A CT scan or MRI is the usual method of diagnosing a brain tumor or brain cancer. Brian tumors grow slowly and do not require treatment unless they start to compress the brain matter. Brain cancer is different in that it needs to be treated immediately and usually by means of surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation are the two other forms of treatment used. In surgery, the type of cancer will be determined through taking a piece of the tumor and analyzing it.
Brain tumors are not cancerous and their rate of occurrence is low. The availability of modern machinery to take images of the brain has greatly aided the diagnosis of both brain tumor and brain cancer.
Summary
- Brain tumors can be cancerous or non-cancerous.
- Even though brain tumors are harmless they can cause pain when they start to compress the brain matter.
- Benign tumors only need treatment when they start to cause a lot of pain or other symptoms.
- Malignant tumors can develop on the brain or be a secondary cancer in which the cancer cells have spread from another part of the body.
- Brain cancer always requires emergency treatment.