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 The adult body normally forms new cells only when they are needed to replace old or damaged ones. Infants and children form new cells to complete their development in addition to those needed for repair. A tumor develops if normal or abnormal cells multiply when they are not needed. A brain tumor is a mass of unnecessary, and abnormal, cells growing in the brain. When doctors describe brain tumors, they often use the words "benign" or "malignant." Those descriptions refer to the degree of malignancy or aggressiveness of a brain tumor. It is not always easy to classify a brain tumor as "benign" or "malignant" as many factors other than the pathological features contribute to the outcome.  PRIMARY BRAIN TUMORS A tumor that starts in the brain is a primary brain tumor. Glioblastoma, astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, and ependymoma are examples of primary brain tumors. Malignant brain tumors A malignant brain tumor is life-threatening, invasive, and usually rapidly growing. Other malignant tumors are invasive but grow more slowly. Malignant brain tumors are often called brain cancer. Since primary brain tumors rarely spread outside the brain and spinal cord, they do not exactly fit the general definition of "cancer" -- a tumor that has the ability to spread to other organs of the body. Since brain tumors generally do not spread to other organs, they do not meet the true definition of cancer. Brain Tumor Facts ***AMERICAN BRAIN TUMOR ASSOCIATION A brain tumor is a mass of unnecessary, and abnormal, cells growing in the brain. An estimated 41,000 new cases of primary brain tumors are expected to be diagnosed in 2006. In the United States, approximately 3,140 children younger than age 20 are diagnosed annually with primary brain tumors. Brain tumors are the most common of the solid tumors in children, and the second most frequent malignancy of childhood ***Brain Tumor society The cure rate for most brain tumors is significantly lower than that for most other types of cancer. Brain tumor research is underfunded and the public, in general, is unaware of the magnitude of the problem. Currently, brain tumors cannot be prevented because their cause is still unknown.
***NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION Brain tumors are the leading cause of SOLID TUMOR death in children under age 20 now surpassing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and are the third leading cause of cancer death in young adults ages 20-39.* There are over 120 different types of brain tumors, making effective treatment very complicated. Because brain tumors are located at the control center for thought, emotion and movement, their effects on an individual's physical and cognitive abilities can be devastating. www.abta.org ( American Brain Tumor Association) www.tbts.org (The Brain Tumor Society) www.braintumor.org (National brain tumor foundation) |
