What is brain cancer?
-The brain is a soft, spongy mass of tissue. It is protected by:
-The bones of the skull
Three thin layers of tissue (meninges)
Watery fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) that flows through spaces between the meninges and through spaces (ventricles) within the brain
-The brain directs the things we choose to do (like walking and talking) and the things our body does without thinking (like breathing).
-The brain is also in charge of our senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), memory, emotions, and personality.
-A network of nerves carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. Some nerves go directly from the brain to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the head.
-Other nerves run through the spinal cord to connect the brain with the other parts of the body.
-Within the brain and spinal cord, glial cells surround nerve cells and hold them in place.
-Glial cell: Any of the cells that hold nerve cells in place and help them work the way they should. The types of glial cells include oligodendrocytes, astrocy tes, microglia, and ependymal cells. Also called neuroglia.
The 3 major parts of the brain control different activities:
-Cerebrum
-Cerebellum
-Brain stem
The cerebrum uses information from -our senses to tell us what is going on around us and tells our body how to respond.
-It controls reading, thinking, learning, speech and emotions.
-The cerebrum is divided into the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body. The left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body.
-The cerebellum controls balance for walking and standing, and other complex actions.
Brain stem
-The brain stem connects the brain with the spinal cord. It controls breathing, body temperature, blood pressure and other basic body functions.
-Brain cancer happens when normal cells in the brain change into abnormal cells, and grow out of control.
-There are different types of brain cancer. Some types grow very slowly. Others grow much faster.
-As brain cancer grows, it can spread into normal parts of the brain.
What is brain cancer?
-Doctors group brain tumors by grade. The grade of a tumor refers to the way the cells look under a microscope:
-Grade I: The tissue is benign. The cells look nearly like normal brain cells, and they grow slowly.u000b
-Grade II: The tissue is malignant. The cells look less like normal cells than do the cells in a Grade I tumor.
-Grade III: The malignant tissue has cells that look very different from normal cells. The abnormal cells are actively growing (anaplastic).
-Grade IV: The malignant tissue has cells that look most abnormal and tend to grow quickly.
- Cells from low-grade tumors (grades I and II) look more normal and generally grow more slowly than cells from high-grade tumors (grades III and IV)
-Over time, a low-grade tumor may become a high grade tumor. However, the change to a high-grade tumor happens more often among adults than children.
Types Of Brain Cancer
Types of primary brain tumors
There are many types of primary brain tumors.
-Primary brain tumors are named according to the type of cells or the part of the brain in which they begin. For example, most primary brain tumors begin in glial cells. This type of tumor is called a glioma.
Among adults, the most common types are:
-Astrocytoma
-Meningioma
-Oligodendroglioma
Astrocytoma
-The tumor arises from star-shaped glial cells called astrocytes.
-It can be any grade. In adults, an astrocytoma most often arises in the cerebrum.
-Grade I or II astrocytoma: It may be called a low-grade glioma.
-Grade III astrocytoma: It's sometimes called a high-grade or an anaplastic astrocytoma.
-Grade IV astrocytoma: It may be called a glioblastoma or malignant astrocytic glioma.
Meningioma
-The tumor arises in the meninges.
-It can be grade I, II, or III. It's usually benign (grade I) and grows slowly.
Oligodendroglioma
-The tumor arises from cells that make the fatty substance that covers and protects nerves.
-It usually occurs in the cerebrum. It's most common in middle-aged adults. It can be grade II or III.
Among children, the most common types are:
Medulloblastoma:
-The tumor usually arises in the cerebellum.
-It's sometimes called a primitive neuroectodermal tumor.
-It is grade IV.
-Grade I or II astrocytoma:
-In children, this low grade tumor occurs anywhere in the brain.
-The most common astrocytoma among children is juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma.
-It's grade I.
Ependymoma:
-The tumor arises from cells that line the ventricles or the central canal of the spinal cord.
-It's most commonly found in children and young adults.
-It can be grade I, II, or III.
Brain stem glioma:
-The tumor occurs in the lowest part of the brain.
-It can be a low-grade or high-grade tumor.
-The most common type is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma .
.The area just inside the nostrils is called the nasal vestibule. A small area of special cells in the roof of each nasal passage sends signals to the brain to give the sense of smell.
.Together the paranasal sinuses and the nasal cavity filter and warm the air, and make it moist before it goes into the lungs.
.The movement of air through the sinuses and other parts of the respiratory system help make sounds for talking.
-A rare cancer that forms in tissues of a salivary gland. Most salivary gland cancers occur in older people.
-The salivary glands make saliva and release it into the mouth. Saliva has enzymes that help digest food and antibodies that help protect against infections of the mouth and throat.
-More than half of all salivary gland tumors are benign (not cancerous) and do not spread to other tissues
There are 3 pairs of major salivary glands:
-Parotid glands: These are the largest salivary glands and are found in front of and just below each ear. Most major salivary gland tumors begin in this gland.
-Sublingual glands: These glands are found under the tongue in the floor of the mouth.
-Submandibular glands: These glands are found below the jawbone.
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