Contents:
- Medical Video: Brain Tumour facts: 10 things you should know about brain tumours | Cancer Research UK
- Why are brain tumors dangerous?
- What causes brain tumors?
- Differences in brain tumors in children with adults
- Location and type of brain tumor in children is different from adults
- The symptoms are also different
- The cause is different
- Opportunities for recovery in children and adults with brain tumors are also different
- Treatment efforts and recovery conditions
Medical Video: Brain Tumour facts: 10 things you should know about brain tumours | Cancer Research UK
Brain tumors are a type of disease caused by the growth of abnormal cells in the brain. This can cause damage directly or put pressure on the brain. This type of disease is generally found in adulthood and early age, although less often this can also occur in children. But the development of brain tumors in children has differences with adults, this is due to the body of children who are still developing.
Why are brain tumors dangerous?
Brain tumors are characterized by abnormal cell mass in the skull that can develop into malignancy (cancer) or benign. Brain tumors can occur in parts of brain cells, brain membranes (meninges), brain nerve cells or brain glands.
The presence of a brain tumor is a dangerous condition. This is because even though it is relatively benign, the tumor will still be able to grow and can increase the pressure inside the skull and cause fatal damage.
What causes brain tumors?
Unlike tumors in other organs, the influence of lifestyle and consumption of cigarettes has a very small contribution in the occurrence of brain tumors. Genetic conditions or radiation exposure to the head are the main triggers for the development of primary brain tumors that tend to be benign. But the growth of brain tumors can also be secondary to the spread of cancer cells in other organs such as the intestines, lungs, and breasts, and are more likely to develop into brain cancer.
Brain tumors generally affect most body functions such as cognitive, coordination, senses and growth. Therefore the incidence of brain tumors can be identified by physical examination, cognitive and mental conditions of a person, but it is necessary to do medical imaging and biopsy to make a diagnosis.
Differences in brain tumors in children with adults
Children's bodies are not just smaller versions of adult bodies. Both have differences in terms of development and response to disorders, including brain tumors. Almost all aspects of diseases of brain tumors in adults and children have differences, including:
Location and type of brain tumor in children is different from adults
Basically, brain tumors can occur in any part of the brain and brain stem. In adults, the development of brain tumors can originate in the upper brain or cortex of the brain, while brain tumors in children are more likely to occur in the inner brain and brain stem. More specifically if the tumor has developed since in the womb, brain tumors are more likely to occur in parts of the brain that are behind the eyes and around the pitutari glands.
The symptoms are also different
The difference in symptoms of brain tumors in adults and children is due to differences in the location and type of brain tumor experienced. Brain tumors that occur in the brain on the inside (cerebellum and brain stem), as in children, are more likely to affect sensory function, nerves, and hormonal regulation. For example, craniopharyngiomas which is one type of benign tumor in a child's brain that can cause visual disturbances and early puberty.
While symptoms in adults are very similar to the symptoms of brain tumors in general, such as:
- Headaches, especially when coughing, sneezing or exercising and while sleeping and waking from sleep
- Vertigo
- Throws up
- Blurred vision
- Seizures (especially in adults)
- Difficulty moving muscles, including facial and eye muscles
- Disorders of mental and cognitive functions such as memory loss, disruption of activities, emotional disturbances, etc.
- Impaired sense of hearing, taste and smell
- Impaired coordination of urination and excretion systems
In addition, hormonal disorders can also occur if the tumor hits the pitutari gland located in the brain, the gland serves to regulate the activity of the hormone glands throughout the body. Symptoms of pitutari gland tumors as follows:
- Menstrual disorders in women
- Gynecomastia aka the growth of breasts in men
- Obesity
- Low blood pressure
- More sensitive to hot and cold temperatures
- Impaired growth in hand size
- Increased amount of hair on the body (hirsutism)
The cause is different
The incidence of brain tumors in children includes primary brain tumors or those that only originate from the brain. This can be triggered by genetic abnormalities and has developed since in the womb. While brain tumors in adults can occur primary and secondary due to the presence of cancer metastasis in other organs.
Opportunities for recovery in children and adults with brain tumors are also different
Most children and adolescents who experience brain tumors have a greater chance of recovery than adults if handled appropriately. In addition, the severity of brain tumor disease and the way the bodies of children and adolescents who are still developing make the development of tumors and become lighter.
Treatment efforts and recovery conditions
The age of the body of children who are still developing has a better tolerance for chemotherapy than in adults. So that the handling of chemotherapy in children will be prioritized and tends to reduce radiation exposure which is also dangerous. Brain tumors in children also have a good chance to recover only with surgery and chemotherapy.
Nonetheless, surgical procedures in the developing brain have side effects, namely changes in the intellectual level and body motor function. This can have a very long or long impact on the child's age. They also need more assistance in academic matters and adjustments in living life.
