What is a brain tumor? 

Brain tumors constitute an important disease group in neurosurgery. In general, we can classify brain tumors as malignant and benign. Tumors that are not cancer are called "benign". They do not spread to other organs of the body and are rarely life-threatening. They are usually removed surgically and do not recur. Cancerous cells are called "malignant". They progress to surrounding healthy tissues and organs and destroy them. They also spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system, forming new tumors in other parts of the body (metastasis). 

What are the causes of brain tumor and who gets it? 

The cause of brain tumors is unknown. Brain tumors can occur at any age, but are more common in two age groups. It is most common in the 3-12 age group and the 40-70 age group. As risk factors leading to brain tumor; Working in the refining-rubber-paint industry, virus infections and heredity may be mentioned. In some families, brain tumors may occur in different members of the family. Generally, no clear risk factor has been found in patients with brain tumors. This is perhaps due to a combination of factors. A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells in the brain grow and become massive. Brain tumors classified as primary or secondary are tumors that form in the brain or, more commonly, begin in another organ and metastasize to the brain. This disorder, which is common in men and white people, is more common in people over the age of 60 and children under the age of 8, according to statistics. Signs and symptoms of brain tumors may come and go, making diagnosis difficult. 

What are the symptoms of brain tumor? 

Headache (especially in the mornings) Vomiting (gushing style) Epilepsy fainting spells Symptoms of paralysis in some parts of the body in later stages (depending on where it is located in the brain) Personality disorders, impairment in some abilities (such as calculating and writing) 

How are brain tumors classified?

1) Malignant Tumors A-Glial Tumors

They are the most common tumors of the brain. These cause most brain cancers. It contains cells with uncontrolled proliferation. They grow rapidly and spread into the surrounding healthy tissue, and in very rare cases, they can spread to the spinal cord or even other organs of the body. Staging is done in four groups. Stage I and Stage II are called "low-stage", while Stage III (anaplastic astrocytoma) and Stage IV (glioblastoma multiforme) are considered "high-stage". Some other tumors in this group; ependymoma, medulloblastoma, oligodendroglioma. Survival times are related to pathological staging, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and age. Survival is long in low-stage glial tumors. Low-stage tumors can develop into high-stage tumors. The average chance of survival is much shorter for higher-grade gliomas. B-Metastatic brain tumors: These are tumors that occur as a result of the spread of a tumor from another part of the body to the brain. They most commonly originate from the lungs, breast, large intestine, stomach, skin or prostate. However, sometimes the organ of origin cannot be detected. Brain metastases are seen in 20-40% of patients diagnosed in oncology clinics and hospitalized for treatment. This rate constitutes 10% of all brain tumors. If possible, making a definitive diagnosis by first taking a biopsy with stereotaxic surgery, which can be performed under local anesthesia, facilitates the choice of treatment. Treatment options for malignant brain tumors; surgical intervention, biopsy, radiation therapy, drug therapy and radiosurgery. Response to treatment is related to factors such as the focus of origin of the tumor, the number of organs to which it has spread, the number of metastatic lesions, the age of the patient, and the presence or absence of additional diseases. Therefore, survival times are different.

 2) Benign Tumors 

These are tumors that usually develop inside the skull but outside the brain tissue. Meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, dermoid and epidermoid tumors, hemangioblastoma, colloid cyst, subependymal giant cell astrocytoma, neuromas are the most common lesions of this group. Meningiomas constitute a significant part of this group. Unlike benign tumors in other organs, benign brain tumors can sometimes cause life-threatening situations. Some of them (for example, meningiomas), although rare, can turn into malignant tumors. Since they generally do not spread to the surrounding brain tissue, they have a high chance of being completely removed by surgery. However, they may reoccur, albeit to a small extent. It is known that even if meningiomas are completely removed, 20% of them can recur in 10 years, and post-surgical complications may occur, especially in those that are attached to important areas.  

What are the Treatment Methods for Brain Tumor?

Surgical tumor removal is generally considered the first option for almost all brain tumors. In a small number of cases, partial removal or radiotherapy and follow-up are recommended due to the high complication rate. Especially in high-stage glial tumors, after the diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy, radiosurgery or chemotherapy (drug therapy) can be applied instead of tumor removal. Some of the benign lesions located in the brainstem can be removed surgically, and in others, radiosurgery can be applied. In short, the degree of malignancy and location of the tumor, the patient's age, general condition and the presence of additional systemic problems determine the surgical decision-making and the limits of surgical tumor removal.