The brain is the center of thought, memory, emotion, speech, sensation and motor function. The spinal cord and special nerves in the head called cranial nerves carry and receive messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

There are two types of brain tumors:

• Primary — a tumor that starts in the brain. Primary brain tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant.
  
• Metastatic — a tumor caused by cancer elsewhere in the body that spreads to the brain. Metastatic brain tumors are always cancerous. Primary tumors in the brain or spinal cord rarely spread to distant organs. Brain tumors cause damage because as they grow they can interfere with surrounding cells that serve vital roles in our everyday life.

Facts about Brain Tumors
The only well established environmental risk factor for brain tumors is radiation exposure to the head, which most often comes from the treatment of other conditions. Before the risks of radiation were well known (over 50 years ago), children with ringworm of the scalp (a fungal infection) often received low-dose radiation therapy. This was found to increase their risk of brain tumors later in life. Today, most radiation-caused brain tumors are the result of radiation to the head given to treat other cancers such as certain leukemias.

General Risk Factors
Most brain and spinal cord tumors have no known risk factors and occur for no apparent reason. There are no known proven ways to prevent these tumors.

Signs of Brain Tumors
No blood test or other screening exam can detect brain tumors, but there are often some outward signs. While tumors in different parts of the central nervous system disrupt different functions, some symptoms include:

• Headaches
  
• Nausea/vomiting
  
• Seizures
  
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
  
• Changes in vision, hearing or sensation
  
• Difficulty with speech
  
• Lack of coordination
  
• A change in mood or personality
  
• Memory loss

Diagnosing Brain Tumors
If you suffer from any of the initial signs of a brain tumor, your doctor will likely conduct some or all of the following tests:

• A physical exam to determine your overall health.
  
• A neurologic exam to evaluate brain and spinal cord function.
  
• Imaging studies, such as CT, MRI or PET scans, to look for signs of a brain tumor.
  
• If studies or scans indicate you might have a brain tumor, some tissue may be taken from the tumor to make an exact diagnosis. This test is called a biopsy.
  
• A spinal tap may also be performed to look for tumor cells. During this test, a needle is placed in the lower back to obtain a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid is then examined to see if tumor cells are present.

Treating Brain Tumors
If doctors determine that you have a tumor, the treatment options and prognosis are based on the following factors:

• Tumor type
  
• Location and size of tumor
  
• Tumor grade (how abnormal the cells are)
  
• Your age, medical history and general health

Learn more about Treatment Options available at The Marin Cancer Institute and discover why people from all over the Bay Area and across the country have chosen us as their specialty team.

*"What are the Key Statistics About Brain Tumors?," American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org