Meningioma

a meningioma ?

Meningiomas are tumors that originate from the membrane that surrounds the brain and is called the meninges . Most meningiomas are benign and grow slowly. It is more common in women than men. Meningiomas account for approximately 30-37% of all adult central nervous system tumors.

What causes meningioma ?

The direct cause of the brain tumor has still not been clearly found. More investment is needed in this regard. It can be caused by many factors such as genetics and lifestyle of the patient, medical history and previous exposure to potential risk factors . Some of the meningiomas may occur as a component of the genetic disease Neurofibromatosis . The incidence of meningiomas increases with age, and this increase is more pronounced after the age of 65.

Are there different types of meningioma ?

of meningiomas are grade 1 and grow slowly, but some are more aggressive . In order to make this distinction, it is necessary to take a biopsy (a small sample taken during the surgical operation) from the tumor. Pathologists work on this biopsy and provide detailed information using both histological (via a microscope) and molecular profiling (by examining the genetic characteristics of the tumor) of the tumor.

of meningioma ?

The signs and symptoms of meningioma may be quite vague at first, but it grows slowly and may show different symptoms depending on where the tumor is located in the brain or spine .

vision changes, such as blurring or double vision
headaches that worsen over time
Hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Loss of memory
loss of smell
seizures
Weakness in the arms or legs

Symptoms must first become large enough to put pressure on parts of the brain or spinal nerves and blood vessels. However, it should not be forgotten that there are many reasons for the above signs and symptoms. These are not meningioma specific findings.

meningioma ?

Treatment options are surgery and/or radiotherapy . Chemotherapy is normally only considered for a high-grade meningioma .

Surgical treatment

Some meningiomas can be successfully removed with surgery, while others may be in positions that make complete removal impossible . For example, the tumor may have wrapped around the optic nerve or a vessel. In these cases, the neurosurgeon's priority will be to remove as much of the tumor as possible without damaging any critical structures within the brain.

If the tumor regrows, repeat surgery may be recommended to reduce the tumor size.

Radiotherapy

meningiomas may grow back after surgical removal . Therefore, II. or III. Those classified as grade 1 can be treated with radiotherapy to reduce the risk of regrowth .

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is rarely used for meningiomas because they grow so slowly. Most chemotherapy drugs are designed to target rapidly dividing cells, as seen in more malignant types of cancer.

Metastatic Brain Tumors

Brain metastases occur when cancer cells spread from their original site to the brain. Any cancer can spread to the brain, but the types most likely to cause brain metastases are lung, breast, colon, kidney, and melanoma .

SYMPTOMS

Brain metastases may be located in one or more regions of the brain. As metastatic brain tumors grow, they put pressure on the surrounding brain tissue and prevent that area from functioning. This causes signs and symptoms such as headaches, personality changes, memory loss, and seizures .

TREATMENT

Treatment of patients with spread to the brain may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy , immunotherapy , or a combination of these. In some cases, other treatments may be recommended. Treatment of brain metastases can help relieve symptoms , slow tumor growth, and extend lifespan.

SURGICAL TREATMENT

If brain metastases are in accessible locations for surgery, our goal will be to remove as much cancer as possible. Even removing a portion of the tumor can help reduce signs and symptoms .

RADIOTHERAPY

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays such as X-rays and protons to kill tumor cells.

Whole brain radiotherapy . It applies radiation to the entire brain to kill tumor cells. People exposed to whole brain radiation usually require 10 to 15 treatments over two to three weeks.
stereotactic radiosurgery . stereotactic Not every radiation beam sent by radiosurgery is strong on its own, but where all the beams meet - in a brain tumor - a very high dose of radiation is reached to kill tumor cells. stereotactic Radiosurgery is typically done in a single treatment, and doctors can treat multiple tumors in one session.

spina bifida

spina Bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord do not form properly. The neural tube is the structure in an embryo that becomes the baby's brain, spinal cord, and surrounding tissues.

Typically, the neural tube forms early in pregnancy and closes on the 28th day after conception. spina In babies with bifida , part of the neural tube does not close or does not develop properly, causing problems with the spinal cord and spinal bones.

TYPES

spina bifida occulta

Occulta means secret. It is the lightest and most common type. spina bifida The occulta results in a small separation or gap in one or more of the spine's bones (vertebrae). spina bifida occulta accidentally discover the condition during an imaging test .

myelomeningocele

open spinae Myelomeningocele, also known as bifida , is the most severe type. The spinal canal is open along several vertebrae in the lower or middle back. The membranes and spinal nerves pass through this opening at birth to form a sac on the baby's back that typically exposes tissues and nerves. This predisposes the baby to life-threatening infections and can also cause paralysis, bladder and bowel dysfunction .

meningocele

This rare spina bifida type, there is a sac of spinal fluid that protrudes through an opening in the spine. In this type, no nerve is affected and is not in the spinal fluid sac. Babies with meningocele may have some minor problems, those affecting the bladder and bowels.

SYMPTOMS AND SYMPTOMS

spina bifida The occulta typically does not have any signs or symptoms as the spinal nerves are not involved . Sometimes, however, you may see signs of a spinal problem, such as a tuft of hair, a small dimple, or birthmark on a newborn's skin. Sometimes these skin marks can be seen in a newborn with MRI or spinal cord . There may be signs of an underlying spinal cord problem that can be discovered with ultrasound .

RISK FACTORS

spina It is not clear exactly what causes bifida . It is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, nutritional, and environmental risk factors, such as a family history of neural tube defects and folate (B-9) deficiency .

Folate deficiency. Folate , the natural form of vitamin B-9 , is important for the development of a healthy baby. The synthetic form found in supplements and fortified foods is called folic acid. Folate deficiency, spina increases the risk of bifida and other neural tube defects.
Family history of neural tube defects . Couples who have a child with a neural tube defect have a slightly higher chance of having another baby with the same defect. This risk increases if the previous two children have been affected by the condition. In addition, women born with neural tube defects A child with bifida is more likely to give birth than someone without a neural tube defect . However, spina Most babies with bifida can also be born to parents with no known family history.
Some drugs. For example, anti-seizure medications such as valproic acid seem to cause neural tube defects when taken during pregnancy. This can happen because they deplete the body's ability to use folate and folic acid.
Diabetes. Spina of women with diabetes whose blood sugar is not well controlled have a higher risk of having a baby with bifida .
Pre-pregnancy obesity , spina may increase the risk of neural tube birth defects , including bifida .
Increased body temperature. Some evidence suggests that increased body temperature ( hyperthermia ) during the first weeks of pregnancy suggest that it may increase the risk of bifida . Increases in body temperature due to fever or use of sauna or jacuzzi , spina There are studies that say that it may cause a slight increase in the risk of bifida .