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Brain cancer is a general term used to describe many types of tumors that start in the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system, or CNS). Tumors in different areas of the CNS may be treated differently. Most brain tumors come from cancers that started somewhere else in the body and metastasized, or spread, to the brain. Primary brain tumors are tumors that begin in the brain, and may start in any of the different types of tissues or cells within the brain or spinal cord.
The diagnosis of a tumor begins when common symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, behavioral or emotional changes, impaired judgment, and/or sensory changes develop. If symptoms suggest a CNS tumor is present, your doctor will take a complete medical history and perform a physical examination to evaluate brain and spinal cord function (neurologic exam).
In order to see where within the brain a tumor may be located, doctors most often use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans. While these tests may help your healthcare professional find any unusual masses, a definite diagnosis is made only by removing some of the tumor tissue for examination, called a biopsy.
Central nervous system (CNS) tumors may be treated by surgical removal, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy, although a combination of treatments is common. Cortisone-like drugs are given to reduce the swelling that often occurs around brain tumors, which may help to relieve headaches and other symptoms.
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