Brain Cancer
Cancer cells form when there is an abnormal development or mutation of a cell's DNA or gene coding. When a cancer cell forms, it begins to thrive off of the body's resources like a normal cell would, except a cancer cell is not working for the body but against it. Brain cancer cells can appear as tumor masses around various parts of the brain. The types of brain cancer are usually named after the location of the tumor.
Indirect Cause
There are two major categories for brain cancer: primary and metastatic. Primary brain cancer comes from cancerous tumors that originated in the brain or skull. Metastatic brain cancer is derived from other cancers in the body. Those cells have spread to the brain and formed. When metastatic brain cancer is diagnosed, it means that the original cancer has already progressed to advanced stages that are often incurable.
External Causes
As with most cancers, there are no direct causes that scientists can identify. However, there are external contributing factors, such as carcinogens. For brain cancer, one chief identifying contributing factor is exposure to vinyl chloride. According to the Oncology channel website, vinyl chloride is a carcinogen that is usually a byproduct of plastic factory products such as piping and wire coating. It is also present in tobacco smoke.
Genetic Factors
Brain cancer can also derive from bad genes in the brain cells. A genetic mutation of a tumor suppressor gene can severely impact a cell's ability to keep tumors from developing at all. Some diseases that mutate or even remove these genes increase the chances of brain cancer development. These diseases include retinoblastoma, neurofibromatosis type 2, and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.
Treatment
Unfortunately, most treatment for brain cancer is very limited and acts only to relieve symptoms. Statistics show that more than two-thirds of diagnosed patients die from the disease. Surgical treatment can be performed to remove tumor masses that are not too close to the brain's intricate functions such as nerve function and operating the senses. Radiation therapy that is highly localized has been known to greatly reduce tumors in sensitive brain areas; however, the loss of pituitary function is highly probable.
Tags: brain cancer, brain cancer, cancer cell, tumor masses, vinyl chloride