Brain Tumor Symptoms

Brain Tumors In Children

For parents, hearing that there are brain tumors in children can be one of the most difficult things a parent has to learn.  Brain tumors are masses of tissue and cells that are abnormal.  They can be benign brain tumors, which are non cancerous tumors, or they can be malignant brain tumors, which are cancerous brain tumors.  Both types of tumors require attention by a doctor as soon as possible to improve their overall situation.  In many cases, children can recovery from tumors just as well as adults can, and sometimes even more so.

There are many types of tumors that can affect children.    Here are some of the most common tumors affecting children.

Astrocytomas are a type of brain tumor in children.  This is a non cancerous type that grows very slowly.  Children between the ages of five and eight generally are the most at risk for this type of tumor.  The best treatment for it is brain tumor surgery to remove the tumor fully.

Brainstem Gliomas is another type of tumor that is only found (most of the time) in children.  This type of tumor develops in the child around the age of six years old.  They grow very large, but do not have many symptoms in their early growth.  This type of tumor is very deadly as only a five year survival rate is common.  The problem is the location of this tumor in that it can not be removed from the child’s brain and chemotherapy and radiation can only slow down its progress.

Ependymomas is another type of child brain tumor that happens in a small group of patients.  These are located in the ventricles of the brain and will block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to the brain.  This type of tumor can be operated on and chemotherapy and radiation also help.

Medulloblastomas are the most common type of brain tumor in children.   Boys are more likely to get this type of cancer and it usually happens around the age of five, nearly always before the age of ten.  Chemotherapy and radiation are necessary parts of treatment, along with surgery.

In each of these types of brain tumors in children, there are risks to face including damage to the brain, infection and the inability for operation.  Yet, doctors have developed many technologically advanced methods to overcome these conditions.  While not all situations allow for surgery to be effective, many times the tumor can be fully removed and the patient can get back to a normal state of living.  Sometimes, the tumor can cause developmental problems as well as do permanent damage to the brain, especially if the child’s tumor is not caught soon enough.   Treatment for brain tumor situations in children will be based on the size of the tumor, the type of the tumor, the health of the child before surgery as well as the location of the tumor.  Based on these factors, doctors will determine the best overall outcome possible.

If you see any signs of symptoms of a brain tumor in your child, even beyond the age of ten, it is necessary to talk to your doctor about the condition as soon as possible.  Many things can be symptoms but most often these include headaches, slurred speech, developmental problems, as well as vision problems.  Some children will face seizures as well.  In nearly all situations, the sooner that the tumor is treated the better the outcome will be.  This often means noticing any symptoms that are happening and seeing a physical specializing in brain tumors as soon as possible.  Treatment for brain tumors is successful in many cases.

Brain Tumor Symptoms:  What This Means

The term malignant brain tumor is one that means that the tumor is made up of cancerous cells.  These cells are abnormally developed cells that multiply very quickly.  Unlike non cancerous tumors, these types of tumors do more damage to the brain and can often be the most dangerous in terms of reoccurring.  Many times, they are the result of cancers found in other areas of the body including the breast or the lungs that has spread.  Understanding what the brain tumor symptoms are can help you to seek out help as soon as possible.

Symptoms of a brain tumor can be many things including headaches.  Headaches are the most common symptom of those facing this condition.  The headache is the result of the pressure being placed on the area of the brain that is infected.  The pressure is often placed on nerve endings found here as well as on the brain and the skull wall as well.  When headaches change in their pattern, their intensity and come on gradually, then it could be a sign of a brain tumor.

There are many other symptoms of a brain tumor as well.  Symptoms of brain tumors often are determined based on the location of the tumor.  They can include speech problems, vision problems, seizures, appetite loss as well as problems with balance.  Depending on the location of the tumor, the pressure that is being placed on the brain itself causes these symptoms to show up.  Unfortunately, many times with malignant brain tumors, the cancerous cells are also attacking that area of the brain which can leave permanent damage in some situations.  Doctors often need to act quickly to save a patient in these situations.

The best brain tumor treatments are those that are going to remove as much of the brain tumor as possible.  This often starts with brain tumor surgery. By pulling out as much of the tumor as possible, all if possible, doctors can remove many of the cancerous cells invading the area.  Then, they will need to kill off any remaining cancerous cells and use other methods to keep them from multiplying.  To accomplish this, brain tumor chemotherapy is used.  It is nearly always necessary for doctors to pair chemotherapy alongside brain surgery because chemotherapy can not work alone to kill the cancerous cells.  More so, surgery can not remove every cell that could be lurking there.  Therefore, both methods are necessary.

Brain tumors happen in many people and things.  Brain tumors in children can be found as well as brain tumors in dogs. In each case, the tumor must be dealt with in the same way.  They must be removed so that the cancerous cells within are able to be taken out of the body.  Unfortunately, not all brain tumors can be removed successfully.  In some cases, radiation and chemotherapy are the only options and they can only be used to slow down the growth of the tumor.

If you may have any of these symptoms of brain tumors, talk with your doctor about them as soon as possible.  One of the most important parts of treating malignant brain tumors is time.  Doctors can often remove these growths if they are able to get to them soon enough.  More so, they often need to consider improving the quality of life for the patient.  Whenever it is possible, these brain tumors will be removed.  Talk to your doctor about any of the brain tumor symptoms you have, so that tests can be done to rule out this condition for you.  If you are suffering from it, seeking out the help of a specialist is the best course of action.

Brain Tumors In Dogs

Brain tumors in dogs are some of the most difficult things for pet owners to spot.  This is because some of the first signs of a brain tumor are simply not seen because they are so subtle.  Yet, like all animals and even people, brain tumors do develop throughout most species of dogs.  Brain tumors are a mass of tissue that is made up of millions of abnormal cells.  They can be malignant brain tumors, which mean that they are cancerous or they can be benign brain tumors with no cancer cells in them.  In both cases, they do threaten the life of the dog and therefore do need to be given proper treatment as soon as possible.

Spotting Potential Problems

As the pet owner, you are more likely to be able to spot the problems and symptoms of brain tumors in your pet long before the vet can, simply because you know the animal better.  A brain tumor symptom will be different from one dog to the next, and many times, the dogs are unable to express what they are feeling.  Therefore, it becomes up to you to determine if the pet may be suffering.  Some symptoms of brain tumors in dogs include:

• A change in their gait, or the way in which they walk, legs weaker and may have more difficulty jumping up or climbing down on stairs, couches or other areas.  They may be slower in walking and even fall as they try to walk.
• A change in their personality is another sign of brain tumor potential.  This may include an animal that becomes very aggressive with no tendencies in the past, or he may become very docile.  Some become obsessive over different things and some will develop a compulsion such as eating or barking
• Mental function may drop too, which means that they may no longer recognize your voice and they may become lost more easily even within their own home.
• Changes in daily life such as having more housebreaking accidents or having a reduced appetite are also signs of a brain tumor.  Some dogs can even lose their sight, or not be able to smell any longer.

One of the things that many dogs do communicate is the brain tumor pain they feel.  To communicate this to their owner they generally will whimper or whine.  They may yelp as well.  In any of these situations, you should consider providing your pet with a visit to their vet who will have a better opportunity to test them and find out if they could be suffering from a brain tumor.  This is especially important when these symptoms of brain tumors are combined or when more than one is seen at the same time in your pet.

Brain tumor treatment can only be done on an individual basis.  Some pets can be treated through chemotherapy and radiation while others need surgery.  In many cases, the tumor will be inoperable which means that doctors can not remove it and therefore the pet’s only available treatment will be to slow down the growth of the tumor.  Many times, the expense of these treatments is also high, which may lead to a decision needing to be made.

The causes of brain tumor situations like this are not known, but through the diagnosis of their pet’s problem, many times there can be rapid improvement in the pet.  Whenever treatment is available, it can help to restore the quality of life the pet has if the procedure is done in time and can provide a complete removal of the tumor from the dog’s body.  Notice the signs of a brain tumor.