Benign Brain Tumor Treatment in Delhi, India

A benign brain tumor, also known as a low-grade cortical tumor, is a mass or lump that grows in the brain. It is not cancerous and does not spread to other body parts. Benign tumors are usually not life-threatening.

Types of Benign Brain Tumor

Benign Brain Tumor are classified based on Growth of Benign Brain Tumor:

• Slow-growing or low-grade tumors grow slowly and usually have a good prognosis.
• Fast-growing or high-grade tumors, as the name conveys, grow more quickly.

While each type has unique symptoms and characteristics, they all share one commonality: they are slow-growing tumors that rarely spread to other parts of the body.

Meningiomas

This is the most common primary tumor of the membranes that cover the brain. It originates in the meninges (the outer three layers of the brain's tissues).

Pituitary adenomas

This tumor grows in the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland on the undersurface of the brain.

Craniopharyngiomas

This type of tumor grows near the pituitary gland near the base of the brain. This most often affects children, teenagers, and young adults, causing vision or endocrinological issues in a few.

Acoustic neuromas

It is also known as vestibular schwannomas, is a tumor affecting the nerve that connects the ear to the brain and is seen to affect hearing and cause facial pain.

Hemangioblastomas

This is a tumor of the brain's blood vessels.

Gliomas

It is a tumor of the glial tissue surrounding and supporting neurons, nerve cells, and fibers originating in the brain.

Stages / Grades of Benign Brain Tumor

• Grade 1 - Benign brain tumors that grow very slowly.
• Grade 2 - Benign brain tumors with slightly faster growth than Grade 1.

Benign Brain Tumor Causes

The causes of benign brain tumors are not entirely known, but medically, you are more likely to develop it if you have any one or more of the following reasons:

• Family history of brain tumors
• Age over 50
• Have undergone radiotherapy
• Genetic conditions such as neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2, Turcot syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, Li-Fraumeni cancer syndrome, and Gorlin syndrome.

Benign Brain Tumor Symptoms

• Persistent headaches
• vomiting
• seizures (epileptic fits)
• vision problems
• speech problems
• drowsiness
• general weakness
• paralysis
• change in personality with mental and behavioral changes.

Typical Test of Benign Brain Tumor

If required, medical diagnosis is made through tests like MRI scan, CT scan, and biopsy.

Benign Brain Tumor Treatment

Treatment for benign brain tumors depends on the type of tumor, size, and location in the brain. Surgery is performed to remove noncancerous brain tumors. In most cases, further intervention is not needed. Radiation therapy or chemotherapy is recommended when the surgery cannot be performed. In some cases, it is suggested along with surgery too.

Risk Factors of Benign Brain Tumor

The following factors may increase the risk of any person developing a benign brain tumor:

• Age: While benign brain tumors have been known to occur in children and adults, they are more likely to develop in people over 50.
• Gender: As per certain studies, men develop benign brain tumors more than women. In the case of meningioma, it is more likely to develop in women.
• Family history: A family history with certain genetic disorders running in the family tree is more prone to developing a benign brain tumor.
• Exposure to certain risk factors: If you are exposed to particular products or ingredients like solvents, certain oil products, rubber, pesticides, vinyl chloride, etc., maybe you are more at risk of developing a benign brain tumor.
• Race and ethnicity: In certain countries, few races and ethnicities are more at risk of developing a benign brain tumor.
• Exposure to electromagnetic fields produced from high-energy power lines, cell phones, etc.
• Exposure to certain infections, allergens, and viruses.
• Severe head trauma or seizures or anti-seizures medication.
• Ionizing radiation like x-rays.

Possible Complications of Benign Brain Tumor

People may experience side effects of the treatment for months or years, such as hearing loss, cataracts, epilepsy, issues with memory, infertility, thinking, etc., and loss of vision.

Benign Brain Tumor Preventions

Primary Prevention of Benign Brain Tumor

Though one does not know the specific ways to prevent this, one can help oneself by reducing the exposure to risk factors that may cause benign brain tumors.

Secondary Prevention of Benign Brain Tumor

Surgery may be recommended to ensure the complete removal of the tumor and eliminate its recurrence.

Epidemiology of Benign Brain Tumor

In India, the incidences of central nervous system (CNS) tumors range from 5 to 10 per 100,000 population. It is increasing and accounts for 2% of malignancies. The estimated incidence of new cases per year is 308,102 and deaths 251,329. More cases are present in men, and they respond less to the therapy.

As per the statistics worldwide, new cases per year are 3.9/100,000 in males and 3.0/100,000 in females. These are all combined for brain and central nervous tumors.

Expected Prognosis of Benign Brain Tumor

The survival rate for adults over 40 years of age is 66%. For benign meningioma, in children 14 and below, the 5-year survival rate is over 96%. For people in the age bracket of 15 to 39, it is 97%, and for over 40 years, it is 87%.

Natural Progression of Benign Brain Tumor

The natural progression is better in young ones as compared to adults. The tumor's location is also a deciding factor in the condition's progression.

Pathophysiology of Benign Brain Tumor

Certain functions change with the growth of the brain tumor, which causes signs and symptoms related to the same development.

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