7/29/2019 Brain Tumor Treatment by Fortis Kolkata

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Brain tumour is a potentially devastat-ing condition and is recognised asfatal. Recent advances in treatment of

brain tumours have made it possible thatthis disease can be treated and cured in anumber of cases. The result of the treat-ment depends on how early it is diagnosedand treated.

What is brain tumour?When people speak of brain tumour,

they mean any intracranial tumour. We,will also refer to all intracranial tumours asbrain tumour. Brain tumours createproblems in the following ways:1) By occupying a large space and

causing pressure inside the head to rise2) By damaging local parts of the brain3) By compression on the brain and/or

nerves4) By irritating the brain.

Who are at risk of suffering from braintumours?

People of every age are vulnerable tobrain tumours. In fact, the second com-monest tumour in children is that of thecentral nervous system (brain and spinalcord). However, apart from a very few casesit is difficult to predict who can develop

tumours. Consequently, there is no specialway of preventing them.

What are the symptoms ?Although headache is the commonest

symptom, it is not absolutely an essentialone. Although the reason of headache islikely due to rise of pressure inside thehead, most do not have the typical featuresof headache caused by raised pressureinside the head. The features of typicalheadache caused by rise of pressure insidethe head are: increased headache early inthe morning or getting up from sleep, asso-ciated nausea or vomiting at the peak ofheadache, and relief of headache aftervomiting. Apart from headache, there maybe seizure, dimness of vision, double vision,facial numbness, facial weakness, hearing

problems, swallowing problems, speechproblems, limb weakness or numbness, dif-ficulty in balance, hormonal problems likecessation of menstrual period, appearanceof breast milk in a non-lactating woman,etc.

How is it detected?If a brain tumour is suspected, the way to

detect the tumour is to do a CT scan withcontrast or MRI scan of brain with con-trast. Sometimes both are necessary. Insome selected cases additional inves-tigations, like angiogram, SPECT,functional MRI, visual test, hormonaltests are necessary.

Can brain tumour be treated?Yes, it can be treated here itself.

There are three modalities of

treatment.1) Operation remains the mainstay of tment of brain tumour and has a numbegoals:a) To reduce pressure inside the head, brelease pressure from the brain, nerves vessels,c) To have a histological diagnosis (biopd) To reduce the tumour load in cases ocancer.Mostly the operations are done under

general anaesthesia, but in some speciasituations, it can be done under localanaesthesia as well. Modern tumoursurgery is done with the help ofmicroscope and a number of moderngadgets like endoscope, neuronavigatioCUSA. Overall, brain tumour surgery habecome much safer than it was inyesteryears.2) Radiation is given as a supportivetreatment. However, there is a special foof radiation (Gamma Knife Radiosurgerwhich is used as a primary modality aswell.3) Chemotherapy is unfortunately notsuccessful in this group of tumours excea few.

Courtesy: Dr Amitabha Chanda,

Consultant Neurosurgeon, Fortis Hospital

6 HEALTHThursday June 16, 2011

Brain tumour is no longerincurable thanks toadvances in medical

technology

Head

Alert!

REMEMBER:

Everybody is at a risk ofdeveloping a brain tumour

If you have any of the symptoms,consult your doctor; other condi-tions can also cause similar symptoms. So, go to a doctor with a fremind.

Follow your doctors advice. Remember that quick diagnosis

and treatment may save you frommany hassles later.