Brain Tumors Summary A brain tumor is a growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly. Some are primary brain tumors, which start in the brain. Others are metastatic, and they start somewhere else in the body and move to the brain. Brain tumors can cause many symptoms. Some of the most common are Headaches, often in the morning Nausea and vomiting Changes in your ability to talk, hear, or see Problems with balance or walking Problems with thinking or memory Feeling weak or sleepy Changes in your mood or behavior Seizures Doctors diagnose brain tumors by doing a neurologic exam and tests including an MRI, CT scan, and biopsy. Treatment options include watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells. Many people get a combination of treatments. NIH: National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Videos and Tutorials Advancements in Radiation Oncology OR-Live Awake Craniotomy OR-Live Closure of Dural Defects after Tumor Resection: Effective Use of Sealants and Collagen Duraplasty OR-Live Transnasal Endoscopic Surgery for Skull-Based Tumors OR-Live Encyclopedia After chemotherapy – discharge Brain herniation Brain PET scan Brain radiation – discharge Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection Head CT scan Head MRI Hypothalamic tumor Posterior fossa tumor Primary lymphoma of the brain Skull x-ray Stereotactic radiosurgery – discharge Stereotactic Radiosurgery – Gamma Knife Treatments and Therapies Alternative and Integrative Medicine American Brain Tumor Association Brain Tumor Surgery American Brain Tumor Association Chemotherapy American Brain Tumor Association Continuum of Care American Brain Tumor Association Drugs Approved for Brain Tumors National Cancer Institute Gamma-Knife Radiosurgery Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Proton Therapy American Brain Tumor Association Radiation Therapy American Brain Tumor Association Stereotactic Radiosurgery American Brain Tumor Association Steroids American Brain Tumor Association Treatment Option Overview (Adult Brain Tumors) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options by Type of Adult Brain Tumor National Cancer Institute Find an Expert American Brain Tumor Association American Brain Tumor Association American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute Organizations That Offer Support Services National Cancer Institute Reference Desk Anatomy of the Brain American Brain Tumor Association Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute Specifics Astrocytoma American Brain Tumor Association Craniopharyngioma American Brain Tumor Association Ependymoma American Brain Tumor Association Glioblastoma American Brain Tumor Association Glioma American Brain Tumor Association Medulloblastoma American Brain Tumor Association Meningioma Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Metastatic Brain Tumor American Brain Tumor Association Oligoastrocytoma American Brain Tumor Association Oligodendroglioma American Brain Tumor Association Tumor Types National Brain Tumor Society Start Here Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Adults American Cancer Society Brain and Spinal Tumors National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Brain and Spinal Tumors: Hope through Research National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Brain Tumor Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research General Information about Adult Brain Tumors National Cancer Institute Understanding Brain Tumors National Brain Tumor Society What You Need to Know about Brain Tumors National Cancer Institute Array Brain components Brain surgery Brain surgery – discharge Brain tumor – primary – adults Craniotomy – slideshow Metastatic brain tumor Diagnosis and Tests Brain Tumor Diagnosis American Brain Tumor Association Computed Tomography (CT) — Head Array Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) — Head Array Magnetic Resonance, Functional (fMRI) — Brain Array Stages of Adult Brain Tumors National Cancer Institute Prevention and Risk Factors Brain Tumor Risk Factors American Brain Tumor Association Statistics and Research Brain Tumor Statistics American Brain Tumor Association Cancer of the Brain and Other Nervous System National Cancer Institute Cell Phones and Cancer Risk National Cancer Institute Symptoms Brain Tumor Symptoms American Brain Tumor Association Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain Neoplasms National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Glioma National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Meningioma National Institutes of Health Related Issues Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer National Cancer Institute Radiation Injury to the Brain International Radiosurgery Support Association Side Effects and Their Management American Brain Tumor Association Living With Living with a Brain Tumor American Brain Tumor Association Rehabilitation Options American Brain Tumor Association Children MedlinePlus: Childhood Brain Tumors National Library of Medicine Journal Articles Brain Tumors Patient Handouts Understanding Chemotherapy National Cancer Institute What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy National Cancer Institute Latest News Brain Cancer Treatment Shows Promise in Early Trial HealthDay Chemo May Prolong Lives of Some Brain Cancer Patients HealthDay Researchers Find 8 Immune Genes in Aggressive Brain Cancer HealthDay
