Brain cancer is the rapid and out of control growth of abnormal cells within a person's central nervous system. When these cells begin to divide rapidly, they usually form a physical structure called a tumor. These abnormal cells form tissue, something that normal cells are uncharacteristic of. These tissues invade other normal and healthy tissues, which makes cancer a dangerous condition.

Brain tumors can be both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors are tumors that are far less dangerous, though they may cause a lot of negative symptoms within a patient. Malignant tumors are usually much more aggressive and are extremely deadly, especially if left untreated.

Researchers have found that cells begin to divide in the out-of-control manner because of damage that is done to their DNA, the code which tells cells how to function. In almost all normal cells, if DNA is damaged, it will result in the death of the cell, or the cell may even repair itself. Cancer cells, however, do not repair their DNA, nor do they die. As a result, the cells begin to divide, sometimes extremely rapidly, creating cells that the body has no use for and each subsequent cell that is created has that same damaged DNA.

Brain cancer is the uncontrolled growth and division of abnormal cells within the brain and other parts of the central nervous system, such as the spinal cord. Brain cancer, unlike most other cancers, is very unlikely to spread to other parts of the body, though it may spread to other parts of the central nervous system. Benign tumors, though usually treatable and come with a positive prognosis, may still cause damage and take up space within the cranial cavity. In a lot of cases, the term "brain tumor" is used when studying abnormal cells in the brain and central nervous system because many tumors are, in fact, non cancerous. 

Symptoms of Brain Cancer:

The brain is a very complicated organ, having many duties and responsibilities for the function of every day life. Everything that a person feels and experiences goes through the brain and different areas of the brain control different functions. This is why the amount of symptoms of brain cancers and tumors is quite vast when compared to other cancers. Also, it should be noted that some general symptoms are characteristic of other sicknesses, both mild and severe. Other less common symptoms are specific to brain tumors. Depending on the size and location of a tumor a combination of the following symptoms may arise:

Nausea/Vomiting: Some people may experience just nausea, just vomiting, or both.

Headache: A symptom that can occur at any time, but most cancer patients have reported worsened headaches in the morning hours after waking up. Headaches caused by brain tumors can range from mild to severe.

Seizures: This is usually the first tell-tale sign of a brain tumor within a person. If a person who has never experienced a seizure before and has one, the patient is usually tested for brain abnormalities such as tumors.

Mental and Behavior Changes: A tumor growing on the brain may cause a person to have personality shifts that can range from mild to severe. They may also perform behavior that is otherwise uncharacteristic.

Mass Effect: This is a symptom that is caused by the extra intracranial pressure inside a persons head caused by a tumor and its size taking up room within the skull. This can usually result in brain tissue to be displaced and often damaged. 

Physical Appearance: A person may experience changes in their physical appearance. A brain tumor, for instance may effect the part of the brain that performs facial expressions, leading to a person's face becoming droopy in appearance.

Sensation Changes: A person may experience numbness, deafness and muscle weakness due to a brain tumor. 

Balance Problems: Brain tumors are capable of effecting a person's ability to balance themselves and may have trouble walking and staying upright.

What Causes Brain Cancer?

Researchers have a general idea for certain causes of cancer and brain tumors, though many questions are still unanswered. The primary concern researchers have is discovering what causes damages to cellular DNA and what can be done to prevent it. Researchers consider the following the primary risk factors of brain cancer and brain tumors:

Ethnicity: According to statistics, Caucasians are the most likely to be diagnosed with brain tumors. 

Age: Although statistics show that the average age of a person diagnosed with a brain tumor is about 45 years old, anyone is capable of developing brain cancer and brain cancer in children is no uncommon. 

Dangerous Substances: Many chemicals and substances have been known to cause cancer in people. These include agricultural substances such as fertilizers and substances found in oil fields.

Radiation: This is also a primary concern due to the damaging effects of radiation on cells. If DNA in cells is altered, there is a chance a tumor may develop. One concern that has been widely debated are cell phones, though research on this is still inconclusive.

Types of Brain Cancer:

There are a number of different types of brain tumors that can develop in a person's brain. Some are usually benign and some are usually malignant, but all of the types can be both. Each type of tumor is caused by different factors, grow in different locations in the central nervous system, cause specific symptoms, have different physical structures, respond uniquely to treatments, have differing survival chances, and have differing chances of relapsing. The following are the most common types of brain cancers that are found in both adults and children:

Glioblastoma Multiforme: This brain tumor is aggressive and most common among brain cancer cases.

Medulloblastoma: Usually malignant in nature and have a rapid growth rate. A unique characteristic is its ability to spread to other parts of the central nervous system.

Astrocytoma: Begin in small brain cells called astrocytes, a type of cell that performs many important functions within the brain.

Meningioma: The second most occurring brain tumor, it is usually benign, but some cases can also be malignant.

Oligodendroglioma: A very slow growing tumor, a patient can survive for many years with the tumor without any knowledge of it.

Schwannoma: A central nervous system tumor that affects the myelin sheath, an insulating material that wraps around nerves.

Craniopharyngioma: Has the qualities of a cyst and usually originates in the pituitary gland.

Ependymoma: Originates generally in the ependyma, a part of the central nervous system. 

Brain Cancer in Children:

It is not uncommon for some children to be diagnosed with the same types of brain tumors that effect adults. However, the same type of tumor in a child may behave differently and sometimes responds differently to certain treatments. Generally speaking, a brain tumor in a child is usually far more responsive to chemotherapy. Children central nervous system tumors generally hold a 60 percent survival rate, with the average rate of survival decreasing the younger a child is. In about 70 percent of child brain tumor cases, the tumors are classified as medulloblastoma, ependymoma and glioma.

Treatments for Brain Cancer:

Over the past few decades the options have widened, and the treatments have become more advanced. Although a surgical procedure remains as the common option; patients now have a wide range of treatment opportunities to combat the cancer. In most cases though, the patient does not dictate the form of treatment; the location, size, grade, and type of tumor does.

Surgery: A treatment option for brain cancer which is very common, surgery is usually done to remove all or most of the tumor. Some of the tumor may be left because it is tough to determine which areas are abnormal cells and which areas are normal, health brain cells. Surgery generally alleviates symptoms caused by brain tumors as well, such as intracranial pressure.

Radiation Therapy: Attempts to kill cancerous cells by focusing beams of radiation on the spot of the tumor. 

Chemotherapy: A type of treatment usually given orally or through an IV. Chemotherapy includes a list of many chemicals that can be used in conjunction with each other to kill cancer cells within the brain.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery: A fairly new treatment, this is a radiation therapy that is actually "knifeless". It focuses radiation therapy to affected parts of the brain to shrink and help eliminate the tumor cells.

Brain Cancer Statistics:

The survival rate of brain cancer generally depends on a number of different factors, such as the type of brain tumor a person has, whether its benign or malignant, the stage it is in, and its size and location. There is also a major correlation between age and survival rate. The younger a person is, the better their outlook is in surviving a brain tumor. As far as incident rates, it is generally even for all ages. Although the age group of 65 to 74 are at the greatest risk at 17.1 percent, people under 20 are not far behind at 13.8 percent.

Brain Cancer Prognosis:

A prognosis is an outlook for a patient with cancer that describes a treatment plan, how well it is expected to work, and what the likely outcome will be after treatment is over. Many patients with brain cancer choose not to receive a prognosis if he or she believes that they do not have a good chance of surviving the cancer. 

Brain Cancer Awareness:

Many types of brain cancers can be active within people for many years without noticing the first symptom. Also, brain cancer is a disease that effects not only the lives of the patients, but also the patient's loved ones. Brain cancer awareness is designed to raise knowledge about brain cancer through ceremonies, events, foundations, educational information resources, and even simple ribbons that people wear.

Brain Cancer Research:

Brain cancer research places a large emphasis on new treatments that could prove to be useful against the disease. It aims to ultimately reach a cure for cancer while improving currently existing techniques and creating new ones along the way. Research is usually tested in clinical trials, where patients choose to undergo unproven treatment procedures in an effort to gather important data about the treatment.

Brain Cancer Home Care:

This is a system that helps patients cope with having such a life-changing disease. Generally, if a patient has a poor prognosis, the only choice he or she has left is to live in as much comfort as possible in their final days. Home care is designed to carry this out, usually allowing patients to spend time in their home, the most comfortable place they know. Usually, workers will come to help the patient remain at ease in his or her final days. This is called hospice. Also, advance directives will be assigned. Advance directives are procedures for medical treatment for a patient in which he or she chooses.