Brain Tumour

A brain tumour is a mass or lesion formed by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the brain or brain-related areas (e.g. the spinal cord). The presence of a brain tumour can lead to increased pressure in the skull and brain damage. Brain tumours are generally divided into two main categories:

  1. Benign Tumours: They usually grow slowly without damaging the surrounding tissues. They can usually be completely removed and rarely reoccur.
  2. Malignant Tumours: They can grow rapidly and spread to surrounding tissues. The treatment process requires a more detailed scope; additional treatment methods such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be used.

Causes of Brain Tumour

  • A family history of brain tumours has a genetic factor.
  • Some genetic syndromes (e.g. Neurofibromatosis) are associated with brain tumour development.
  • Exposure to high doses of radiation. In particular, radiation treatments to the head and neck may affect this risk.
  • Weakness in the immune system
    Intensive exposure to certain chemicals (e.g. some pesticides and solvents)
  • Tuberous sclerosis, Turner syndrome,
  • Lynch syndrome, Cowden and Gorlin syndrome
  • Age
  • Head traumas

Symptoms of Brain Tumour

  • Constant or increasing headaches may be more pronounced, especially in the morning. These pains may be caused by the tumour pressing on the brain tissue.
  • The tumour can lead to increased pressure inside the brain, which can cause nausea and vomiting.
    If tumours are located in areas that affect balance and movement, loss of balance or coordination problems may occur.
  • Symptoms such as loss of vision, blurred vision or double vision can occur when the tumour presses on the optic nerve or visual centre.
  • Hearing problems or ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can be a symptom of brain tumours.
  • If the tumour is close to areas that control speech, speech difficulties or language problems may develop.
  • Mental symptoms such as memory loss, personality changes, difficulty concentrating or difficulty making decisions may occur.
  • There may be a feeling of weakness or numbness in certain parts of the body, which may be related to the tumour pressing on the nerve pathways.
  • Brain tumours can cause seizures. This can be caused by the tumour causing abnormal electrical activity in the brain tissue.

Brain Tumour Treatment

Brain tumour treatment usually requires a multidisciplinary approach. The patient’s condition and response to treatment are continuously monitored. If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumour or have symptoms, it is important to get detailed information and a personalised treatment plan from a specialist doctor.

  • Surgical Intervention: If the tumour is benign or surgically removable, surgical intervention is usually performed as the first step. During surgery, the tumour is tried to be removed as completely as possible. In some cases, not all of the tumour can be removed. In this case, additional treatment options may be considered to target the remaining tumour cells. In some cases, several sessions of surgery may be performed.
  • Radiotherapy: Uses high-energy beams to kill tumour cells or stop their growth. It can be used after surgery to target remaining cells or to control tumour growth. Stereotactic radiotherapy methods such as Gammaknife or CyberKnife are used to target the tumour very precisely without damaging the surrounding tissues.
  • Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs are used to stop or destroy the growth of cancerous cells. It is usually applied for malignant tumours and in some cases can be used in combination with radiotherapy.
  • Immunotherapy: Aims to make the body’s immune system more effective against tumour cells.It is being investigated especially for some types of brain tumours.
  • Rehabilitation:After surgery or treatment, rehabilitation methods such as physical therapy, speech therapy or occupational therapy may be recommended to improve the patient’s functionality and quality of life.
  • Radiosurgery: It is a minimally invasive treatment method used for brain tumours and other lesions.This technique uses high doses of radiation to target tumour cells and surrounding tissues.
  • Brachytherapy: It is a type of radiotherapy method used in cancer treatment. In this technique, radioactive sources are placed directly into the tumour or very close to it. Thus, the risk of damage to surrounding tissues is minimised while applying high doses of radiation to tumour cells.

Things to Know About Brain Tumour Surgery

Microsurgery technique, which is a less invasive method, removes the brain tumour from the brain more precisely using a microscope and special tools. Although the duration of the operation may vary depending on the size and location of the tumour, it usually takes between 2-6 hours. The patient is closely monitored in the hospital for 3 days after the operation. Additional treatment protocol (radiotherapy or chemotherapy) may be required after surgery depending on the condition of the patients, the type and stage of the tumour.

Operation Duration

Anaesthesia

Hospitalisation

Recovery Time

Return to Work

2-6 Hours

General Anaesthesia

5 Days

3 Weeks – 1 year

10 Days