General information
As in other organs of the body, benign or malignant tumors can develop in the brain. Every year, about 8,000 people in Germany develop a primary brain tumor. These are tumors that originate directly from the brain.
In addition, there is a large number of brain metastases, so-called secondary brain tumors. Some brain tumors typically occur in childhood and are the second most common form of cancer in children and the most frequent cause of cancer-related death. Others occur mainly at an advanced age. The following text will explain which symptoms are caused by these tumors, how to classify brain tumors, which diagnostic tests are used and how to treat them.
Classification
Brain tumors can be divided into benign (benign) and malignant (malignant) growths. This is done with the help of a sample taken from the tumor tissue. In addition, they are also distinguished according to the tissue from which they originated, the so-called original tissue, their cell composition and their growth behavior.
This classification comes from the World Health Organization (WHO) and includes a total of 130 different tumors of the central nervous system. Four different degrees of differentiation are distinguished: The most common primary brain tumors are meningiomas, which account for about 35 percent of all tumors and originate from the meninges. These are followed by tumors of the supporting cells of the brain (glia cells), the so-called gliomas.
These include astrocytomas, ependymomas and oligoendrogliomas, which are all benign. Ependymomas are growths that originate from the inner lining of the brain chambers. Malignant gliomas include glioblastoma, which is the second most common brain tumor with about 16 percent.
Pituitary tumors, i.e. tumors of the pituitary gland, occur in about 13.5 percent of cases. This might be of interest to you: These symptoms indicate a pituitary tumor! The most common brain tumors in children are benign astrocytomas with almost 40 percent and medulloblastomas.
Medulloblastomas are tumors that affect the cerebellum. In addition to primary brain tumors, i.e. tumors that arise directly from brain tissue, there are secondary brain tumors. These are brain metastases, which are metastases (daughter tumors) of other malignant tumors from other organs.
The new tissue formations in the brain are metastases with 20 to 30 percent. Predominantly cancers such as skin cancer, kidney cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer often spread into the brain and settle metastases there.
- WHO grade I: benign, slow growing
- WHO grade II: still benign
- WHO grade III: already malignant
- WHO grade IV: very malignant, extremely fast growing
In addition to malignant tumors, there are also brain tumors that can be classified as benign.
In the WHO classification of brain tumors, these are summarized as grade I (benign) and grade II (semi-natural). Benign tumors usually do not grow into other brain tissue and do not destroy it. They can nevertheless be dangerous due to their size and the associated compression of the brain.
Although surgery is the primary treatment for benign tumors, there are indications to treat them with radiation therapy or, less frequently, chemotherapy. Which individual therapy is suitable should be discussed with the treating physician.
- Tumors that fall into grade I of the classification usually grow very slowly and are in principle curable by surgery.
Whether surgery is possible in an individual case depends on the type and classification of the tumor as well as on other factors.
- Tumors, which are classified according to grade II of the WHO classification, also grow slowly, but have the tendency to reappear and grow larger after removal. Nevertheless, these tumors are also often treated with surgery.
Malignant brain tumors are called malignant because, unlike benign tumors, they usually grow very quickly and can grow unhindered into all areas of the brain. In this process, the cells into which the malignant brain tumor grows are destroyed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies brain tumors into a scheme that expresses the malignancy of the disease. There are a total of four different levels, with grade III being classified as semi-malignant and grade IV as malignant. Tumors that can be classified within grade IV usually take a rapid and fatal course.
In addition to the tumors that primarily develop in the brain, there are tumors that occur as metastases (brain metastases) of other malignant tumors in the body in the head. These are also classified as malignant.Malignant tumors have an unfavorable to very unfavorable prognosis overall. However, there are therapies available that can significantly prolong the life of those affected.
Especially modern chemotherapy and radiation of the tumors can prolong the life span. An operation can also help to prolong the life span. Which therapy is appropriate in an individual case depends on a number of different factors and should be discussed with the treating doctor.
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