Types of Brain Cancer – Learn the mysteries of this complex disease
The World Health Organization identifies more than 100 types of brain cancer tumors, ranging from the benign and easily removable to the malignant and nearly inoperable. And just as there are different types of brain cancer, many different types of people suffer from this dreaded disease, which can assume many and various forms.
Sadly, brain cancer ranks among the leading causes of cancer death in young people. The most frequent types of brain cancer in children include Astrocytoma, Medulloblastoma and Ependymoma.
The good news is that, overall, cancer is a condition that does not afflict a large number of young people. And some forms of this disease are rare types of brain cancer in people of all ages, including Ependymomas, Craniopharyngiomas, Pituitary tumors, Primary lymphoma of the brain, Pineal gland tumors, and Primary germ cell tumors of the brain. Indeed, many varieties of primary brain cancer are rare, as are a variety of benign tumors in adults and children that can be removed with relative ease. This category of tumor is not likely to recur.
The worst types of brain cancer are metastatic and type IV diseases, in which the cancer is deeply rooted and cancer cells have spread; sometimes to vital organs such as lungs, the spine or the colon.
At this stage, it is extremely difficult to remove or cure the invasive cancer, as it has spread throughout the body and is likely affecting a variety of organs. People who face these types of cancer, on a regular basis, do not have extended life expectancies.
The good news is that, thanks to great advances in medical technology and diagnostic testing, as well as the development of new cancer drugs and medications as well advanced therapies, more cancer cases are being caught and cured at an early stage; more people are leading longer, healthier, and happier lives, all thanks to the wonders of modern technology.
As is the case with most health issues—indeed, and with many life situations in general—knowledge is power. If one is familiar with the various types of brain cancer, then he/she can identify within themselves the signs and symptoms of this serious disease. The patient can communicate their concerns to a trained physician, who can complete all the necessary tests and make a diagnosis; then setting the patient on a course of treatment that is best for them.