Types of Benign Brain Tumors. Chordomas are benign, slow-growing tumors that are most prevalent in people ages 50 to 60. Their most common locations are the base of the skull and the lower portion of the spine.
Here's a breakdown that may surprise many: About 71 percent of all brain tumors are benign and about 29 percent are malignant.
They might start right in the brain or in the tissue nearby. Nearby tissue might include the membranes that cover the brain, called meninges. Brain tumors also can happen in nerves, the pituitary gland and the pineal gland. Brain tumors happen when cells in or near the brain get changes in their DNA.
The frontal lobes of the brain are notoriously “silent”: Benign tumors such as meningiomas that compress the frontal lobes from the outside may not produce any symptoms other than progressive change of personality and intellect until they are large.
The hospital consultant treating you will help you to understand your treatment options and what outcome to expect. Generally, in Northern Ireland, about for those with benign brain tumours 87 in every 100 will survive for five years or more after being diagnosed.
MRI is very good at zeroing in on some kinds of cancers. By looking at your body with MRI, doctors may be able to see if a tumor is benign or cancerous. According to the World Health Organization, survival rates for many types of cancer are significantly higher with early detection.
Benign tumors can grow but do not spread. There is no way to tell from symptoms alone if a tumor is benign or malignant. Often an MRI scan can reveal the tumor type, but in many cases, a biopsy is required.
Meningiomas are the most common benign intracranial tumors, comprising 10 to 15 percent of all brain neoplasms, although a very small percentage are malignant. These tumors originate from the meninges, the membrane-like structures that surround the brain and spinal cord.
A Neurosurgeon Explains: Glioblastoma Multiforme
GBMs can arise in the brain de novo or evolve from lower-grade astrocytoma. In adults, GBM occurs most often in the cerebral hemispheres, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.
The cause of brain cancer is still largely unknown. Although some genetic conditions and environmental factors may contribute to the development of brain cancer, the risk factors are much less defined for brain cancer than for other cancers in the body.
Common symptoms of brain tumours include headaches, feeling or being sick and seizures (fits). These symptoms and the others listed below are often caused by other medical conditions. But if you have any of them, it's important to see your doctor.
Cancers of the brain occur in people of all ages, but are more frequent in two age groups, children under the age of 15 and adults 65 years of age and over. Cancers of the spinal cord are less common than cancers of the brain.
Some people will need surgery, particularly if they have severe or progressive symptoms, but sometimes non-surgical treatments are an option. A group of different specialists will be involved in your care. They will recommend what they think is the best treatment option for you, but the final decision will be yours.
Age. Brain tumours can start at any age. But as we get older our risk of developing most cancers, including brain tumours, increases. The risk of brain tumours is greatest in those aged between 85 and 89 years.
The more aggressive a tumor is, the faster it grows. Generally speaking, a brain tumor can take several months or even years to develop.
Every patient's pain experience is unique, but headaches associated with brain tumors tend to be constant and are worse at night or in the early morning. They are often described as dull, "pressure-type" headaches, though some patients also experience sharp or "stabbing" pain.
Benign tumors are not usually problematic. However, they can become large and compress structures nearby, causing pain or other medical complications. For example, a large benign lung tumor could compress the trachea (windpipe) and cause difficulty in breathing. This would warrant urgent surgical removal.
The symptoms of a benign (non-cancerous) brain tumour depend on its size and where it is in the brain. Some slow-growing tumours may not cause any symptoms at first. When symptoms occur, it's because the tumour is putting pressure on the brain and preventing a specific area of the brain from working properly.
Neurofibroma. Neurofibromas are benign, generally painless tumors that can grow on nerves anywhere in the body. In some cases, these soft, fleshy growths develop in the brain, on cranial nerves or on the spinal cord.
Most benign brain tumors are treatable with surgery. Surgical resection of your tumor occurs in a hospital setting while you are under general anesthesia. The surgeon will access and remove all or part of your tumor, depending on what can be safely accomplished.
Grade 1 and 2 tumours are low grade, slow growing, relatively contained and unlikely to spread to other parts of the brain. There is also less chance of them returning if they can be completely removed. They are sometimes still referred to as 'benign brain tumours'.
If you have brain tumor symptoms, your doctor may start with a neurological exam. You also may need an imaging test such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Often, a biopsy (taking a small sample of the tumor) is the only way to tell if a tumor is benign or malignant (cancerous).
Nearly one-third (29.7 percent) of brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are malignant.
Causes of Benign Tumors
Environmental toxins, such as exposure to radiation. Genetics. Diet. Stress.