The occipital lobe of the brain is located at the back of the skull. The occipital lobe connects the parietal and temporal lobes to the cerebellum. It is part of the cerebrum, the upper and largest portion of the human brain.
Effects
A brain tumor in the occipital lobe of the brain causes total or partial blindness, misunderstanding of visual information, comprehension problems with written words and seizures.
Classifications
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies brain tumors from inactive or benign at Grade I to the most aggressive, or malignant at Grade IV. Each grade helps identify rate of growth and predicted tumor behavior.
Identification
Brain tumors in the occipital lobe are identified first by an MRI or CT scan after symptoms like severe headaches, nausea, vomiting and an intolerance to light present themselves. Even after an MRI or CT scan, the tumor may not show up until it grows considerably larger.
Treatments
Treatment for an occipital lobe tumor is determined by where it is located. One option is surgery to remove the growth, targeted radiation over several weeks to shrink the tumor, chemotherapy to poison the cells and immunotherapy, which uses biological agents to destroy the tumor cells.
Inoperable vs. Operable
Brain tumors, depending on their location, may be inoperable. If the tumor is growing deep within the brain matter, and the surgeon cannot remove it without causing severe damage to the brain, the tumor is inoperable.
Tags: occipital lobe, brain tumor, Brain tumors, lobe brain, occipital lobe brain