Primary Brain Tumors Research Paper

Abe Fattah

Anatomy & Physiology

Mrs. Smith

10/7/14

It is estimated that 14,320 adults (8,090 men and 6,230 women) will die from this disease this year (ACO). And that 23,380 adults will be affected by it yearly in the United States (ACSO). The brain and spinal column make up the central nervous system, where all vital functions, such as thought, speech, and body movements are controlled. When a tumor grows in the central nervous system, it can affect a person's thought processes or movements. There are two types of brain tumors primary and secondary. A primary brain tumor means that the tumor originated from the brain, primary brain tumors may possibly be benign, meaning it does not spread. Or the tumor maybe cancerous meaning it can spread. Primary brain tumors generally do not spread outside the central nervous system (Brain and Spinal column). Secondary brain tumors are often called brain metastases and are also more

Aside from producing detailed images of the body, an MRI can measure the tumor’s size. To help create a clearer picture, a special dye called a contrast medium is given before the scan. It can be injected to the patient’s vein or given as a pill to swallow. MRIs create more detailed pictures than CT scans, which are three-dimensional pictures of the inside of the body with an x-ray machine (ACSO). Unlike most cancers, Brain cancer does not use a staging system to describe there tumor. There is no recommended staging system for adult brain tumors since most primary brain tumors do not usually spread beyond the central nervous system. Instead a grading system is used. The Grade describes how much the tumor cells look like healthy cells when viewed under a microscope. The lower the grade the better the prognosis. Prognosis is the chance of recovery and the likelihood of controlling the tumor’s growth over a long period of time