Brain Cancer

What Is Brain Cancer?

Brain cancer is a cancerous growth that forms in the brain. Primary brain cancers develop in the brain or next to it.

Secondary or metastatic brain cancers develop somewhere else in the body and then spread to the brain or spinal cord.

Are All Brain Tumors Cancerous?

Not all brain tumors are cancer – only about one-third of tumors are cancerous.

Non-cancerous or benign tumors can still be dangerous, however. They can block blood flow in the brain, creating a sensation of intense pressure in the skull and eventually causing brain dysfunction.

They can also become cancerous or spread through the spinal fluid to affect different areas of the brain and spine.

How Common Is Brain Cancer?

Primary brain cancers are not common. Only about 17,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor each year. 12,000 of those cases will be a glioblastoma – which is an aggressive grade IV brain tumor that mostly affects older men.

Cancers that spread to the brain or central nervous system from other parts of the body are more common – there are about 100,000 new secondary brain cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year.

What Are the Symptoms of Brain Cancer?

The problem with a cancerous brain tumor is that it can grow quickly, invading brain tissue and affecting that part of the brain’s functionality. Where it starts developing can also impact what symptoms an individual experiences.

For example, if an abnormal growth develops near the optic pathway, it can cause vision problems. If it forms near the hippocampus, it can impact a person’s memory.

There are also general brain cancer symptoms that can be early warning signs a tumor is growing in or near the brain.

Here are the signs and symptoms to be aware of:

• Personality changes
• New cognitive issues, such as difficulty communicating or trouble concentrating
• Excessive fatigue
• Double vision or vision loss
• Severe headaches
• Memory loss
• Balance problems
• Coordination issues
• Hearing issues
• Seizures
• A sense of confusion or disorientation
• Facial numbness
• Weakness in one part or one side of the body

What Are the Risk Factors for Brain Cancer?

Sometimes brain cancer develops with no clear cause.

A person can end up with a malignant tumor even if they have no family history of cancer and have maintained a healthy lifestyle.

Brain tumors start forming when brain cell DNA tells your brain cells to grow or multiply faster than normal or to live longer than normal – but researchers don’t know why DNA does this.

They do know that some factors are associated with an increased risk of developing brain cancer.

Here are the most common risk factors:

Genetics

Only about 5% to 10% of individuals diagnosed with a brain tumor have a family history of this health issue.

There is a handful of rare, inherited genetic syndromes that are thought to trigger the growth of brain tumors – not all of which become cancerous. They are:

• Neurofibromatosis
• Gorlin syndrome
• Li-Fraumeni syndrome
• Turcot syndrome

Radiation Exposure

Someone who receives radiation therapy for another type of cancer could have an increased risk of developing a brain tumor.

Exposure to radiation in an occupational setting – for example, if someone works with radiological imaging – also increases cancer risk, particularly for those who are exposed in middle age or older.

Environmental Factors

There’s concern that environmental factors such as air pollution and cell phone use can increase somebody’s risk of developing brain cancer.

For example, in a meta-analysis of studies on cell phone use and brain tumors, the researchers found that there is a higher risk of developing a tumor among people who use a cell phone for more than 10 years.

As today cell phones have largely replaced landline phones, most people will use a cell phone for decades.

There’s also evidence linking traffic-related air pollution to an increased risk of cancerous brain tumors.

One study found that people who are exposed to traffic pollution for a long period of time have a slightly increased risk of developing brain cancer later in life.

Other potential environmental risk factors for brain cancer include exposure to landfill pollution and working in agriculture and the oil and gas industry.

What Are the Different Types of Brain Cancer?

Nearly 80% of cancerous brain tumors form in the glial cells, which are the cells that support neurons by aiding in nutrient and waste support, providing insulation, and more. These brain tumors are known as gliomas.

• Glioblastomas are the most common and are known for being the fastest-growing type of brain cancer.
• Astrocytomas are another type of glioma – they usually start in the cerebrum, which is the outer part of the brain.
• Oligodendrogliomas are not as common. These brain tumors are slow growing.
• Ependymomas develop in the cells that line the ventricles of the brain and the center of the spinal cord. This type of glioma is usually only seen in children.

Medulloblastoma is another type of brain cancer that’s more common in children. It’s not a glioma – this one starts forming at the base of the skull rather than in the glial cells.

Can Brain Cancer Be Treated Holistically?

The most common way to treat brain cancer is to surgically remove the tumor. However, surgery isn’t always an option.

It might not also be a patient’s first choice. Some individuals choose to take a holistic path to healing, which can involve a range of evidence-based, non-toxic therapies that help the body fight cancer and recover from the side effects of traditional treatments.

Holistic treatment options include:

• Curcumin IV therapy: Curcumin is a bioactive compound found in turmeric. In high doses, it’s known to induce apoptosis (cell death) and slow the spread of tumors.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: This alternative therapy has been shown to be an effective complementary therapy for glioblastoma – studies show that it enhances the anti-cancer effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The increased oxygen can also boost energy levels and improve overall health.
• High-dose vitamin C therapy: In high doses, vitamin C has the potential to act as a therapeutic agent for glioblastoma patients. In studies using cell lines, it’s been shown to induce cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in malignant cells.