Brain Tumor

Se Jun
Jan 25, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Jan 30, 2022

There are three different ways to treat brain tumors: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

IMG Credit: Cleveland Clinic

Before I explain those three in detail, I will explain some factors that cause brain tumors. There are several types of brain tumor: noncancerous (benign), cancerous (malignant), and secondary (metastatic).

Benign brain tumor is not usually harmful to human health because it grows really slowly and does not spread to other body organs. On the other hand, cancerous brain tumor is really dangerous because it can spread into other organs or tissues and form new tumors. Cancer from other body organs can be spread into the brain and make a secondary brain tumor.

Cancer is mainly formed due to the gene mutation. It causes the cell to divide uncontrollably and malfunction the other organs that will eventually lead us to death. Therefore, it is really important to treat cancer as soon as possible.

First Method: Surgery

Neurosurgeons performs craniotomy to remove the bond flap (section of the skull) to expose the brain. Once they identify the tumors, they use the micro surgical instrument to remove the inner part of the tumor first. Then, they cut the edges of the tumors in order to preserve the healthy tissues of the brains. Once they remove the tumors completely, they replace the bone flaps, fix them with tiny plates, and close the skins with sutures. If the tumors are not completely removed, then surgeons use radiation therapy and chemotherapy to treat the cancers.

Second Method: Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is used when the cancer is not completely removed during the surgery. There are two types of radiation therapy: external beam radiation and internal radiation therapy. External beam radiation is the usage of the machine that emits high energy radiation into the particular area of the body that has cancer cell. Internal radiation therapy is the usage of some implant containing radiation in the forms of tube, wire, capsule, seeds, or pellets. The doctor places this implant near the cancer cell, and the radiation comes out from the implant and kills the cancer cell. However, there might be a side effect after radiation therapy like hair loss, sore skin, and fatigue because of the high energy radiation.

Third Method: Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the usage of drug to kill the cell that is undergoing mitosis really fast. Unlike other methods (radiation therapy and surgery), it does not target specific area but circulate throughout the entire body and kill the fast-growing cells. However, it can affect the fast-growing healthy cells such as hair cell or skin cell. This method is used when the doctor cannot detect the cancer cell or stop cancer from spreading more in the body. Depending on the location of the cancer cell, it may be injected directly to those locations.