Brain cancer is one of the most serious health conditions in the entire world. To prevent having this kind of cancer, the first thing to do is to know more about the disease. In this article, you will learn the different stages of the brain cancer, as well as some symptoms and treatments.
Generally, all types of cancer have four stages, so brain cancer is also classified into four stages. Furthermore, both three and four stages are very dangerous. These are also the conditions in which most symptoms of the cancer are obvious. Once you are diagnosed with cancer, a physician will immediately perform necessary process for treatment and proper medications to cure this disease.
The Four Stages of Brain Cancer
Stage I
Stage I of brain cancer is easily treatable, but difficult to know if you have it because symptoms are still rare at this point. If you are diagnosed with stage one brain cancer, there is a possibility for the growth to become slow. That is because treatment is already conducted. The abnormal cells, affected, can be resembled to normal cells.
Moreover, the kind of treatment for this stage is surgery. The tumor or mass in the brain has to be removed in a surgical procedure in order to stop the cancer. Other than that, this cancer is treated through radiation or chemotherapy.
Stage II
Stage II is as similar as the first stage, but the tumor is much bigger. Also, it can generally spread through the surrounding tissues. When not treated immediately, brain cancer develops in a higher stage. That’s why the tumor should be removed as early as possible during this particular stage.
Stage III
In most cases, chemotherapy is the right treatment for stage III. If the tumor is bigger, surgery is a more appropriate treatment. Sometimes, both treatments must be performed for a better and a more effective result.
Stage IV
At this stage, the tumor is very aggressive. It means it may be difficult to treat it. However, the difficulty depends on the location of the tumor. Another thing is that it can easily spread, which makes the condition worse. The treatment may vary depending on the location and size of the tumor.
Types of Brain Cancer and Their Symptoms
1. Gliomas
This type of brain cancer commonly happens to adults. It has two classifications, which are Ependymomas tumor and Oligodendroglioma tumor. Both of the tumors is located in the glial cells. What makes them different is that the Ependymomas tumor is developed in the spinal cord of an adult patient, while the Oligodendrogliomas tumor is in the cerebrum. This type of brain cancer is usually malignant. The most common symptoms are headache, sleepiness, muscle weakness, personality changes, and sometimes seizures.
2. Meningioma Brain Cancer
The tumor of this type of brain cancer is located at the outer membrane protector of the spinal cord and brain. Although it can appear in any part of the brain, this mostly occurs in the cerebral hemispheres. Female who are older than 65 years are most prone of this type of brain cancer. Symptoms include vomiting and headaches, vision issues, slurred speech. For the treatment, surgery is most recommended.
3. Acoustic Neuromas
Also called as vestibular schwannomas brain cancer, acoustic neuromas is usually the most common type of brain cancers. The tumor is actually developed at the Schwann cells, which are lined at the acoustic and vestibular nerves; hence, the other term of it. This brain cancer type actually grows very slowly. The tumor does not spread from its original locations. The symptoms include side hearing loss, buzzing in the ears and balance issues. It can be treated with radiation therapy.
4. Medulloblastoma Brain Cancer
This cancer in the brain is most common to children, especially 10 years old and below. The tumor is present in the cerebellum, which is known as the part of the brain that has important functions, which are coordinating muscle movements. The difference of this type from other brain cancers is that it grows and spreads quickly. Fortunately, it can be treated with the combination of more than one procedure, which includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Frequent mild and severe headaches are the usual symptoms of brain cancer, regardless of the type and stage. It is best to not underestimate a common headache, because you will never know if the condition is already a type of cancer. It is a very risky and dangerous condition that must be prevented as much as possible.
Consulting a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment is the best thing any individual can do. It is better if you have to prevent it from happening by having a healthier lifestyle and habits. Because of poor diet and bad daily lifestyle, a person is more prone to serious health conditions, like cancers, including brain cancer.