The Treatment of Brain Cancer

There are several types of treatment of brain cancer depending on the type and stage of cancer , such assurgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy .

In addition, at each stage of the disease, the patient may undergo treatment to control the pain, relieve the side effects of therapy, and other emotional problems. This type of treatment is called alternative-alternative medicine ( herbal cancer , etc. ) .

Surgery Head for Brain Cancer

Surgical surgery to the fore is the most common treatment of brain cancer. The goal is to remove as much cancer and minimize as much as possible the chance of brain function loss.

The operation to open the skull is called craniotomy. This is done under general anesthesia. Before the operation begins, the head hair is shaved. The surgeon then makes an incision on the scalp using a special type of saw to lift a piece of bone from the skull. After removing part or all of the tumor, the surgeon re-closes the opening with the bone piece, a piece of metal or material. The surgeon then closes the incision on the scalp. Some surgeons may use a duct placed under the scalp for a day or two after surgery to minimize blood or fluid accumulation.

Side effects that may arise postoperative brain cancer surgery is a headache or discomfort during the first few days after surgery. In this case can be given a headache medicine.

Another less common problem that can occur is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain that causes brain swelling (edema). Usually patients are given steroids to relieve swelling. A second surgery may be needed to drain the fluid. The surgeon can place a tube, long and thin (shunt) in the ventricle of the brain. This tube is placed under the skin to other parts of the body, usually the stomach. Excess fluid from the brain is flowed into the stomach. Sometimes fluid is drained into the heart instead.

Infection is another problem that can develop after surgery (treated with antibiotics).

Brain surgery surgery can damage normal tissue. Brain damage can be a serious problem. The patient may have problems thinking, seeing, or talking. The patient may also experience a personality or seizure change. Most of these problems decrease with the passage of time. But sometimes brain damage can be permanent. Patients may require physical therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy.

Stereotactic radiosurgery is a newer "knifeless" technique for the treatment of brain cancer without opening the skull. A CT scan or MRI is used to determine the exact location of the tumor in the brain. High-level radiation energy is directed to the tumor from various angles to destroy the tumor. The tool varies, ranging from the use of a gamma knife, or a linear accelerator with photons, or a proton beam.

The advantages of this knifeless procedure is to minimize the possibility of complications in the patient and shorten the recovery time. The drawback is the absence of tumor tissue samples that can be further investigated by pathologists, as well as brain swelling that can occur after radiotherapy.

Also Read : The Type of Brain Cancer

Sometimes surgery is not possible. If a tumor occurs in the brainstem or other specific areas, the surgeon may not be able to remove the tumor without damaging normal brain tissue. In this case the patient may receive radiotherapy or other treatments.

Radiotherapy for Brain Cancer

Radiotherapy uses X-rays to kill brain tumor cells. A large machine is directed at the tumor and nearby tissue , or to the entire brain or to the spinal cord.
Radiotherapy is usually performed after brain tumor surgery. Radiation kills tumor cells (residues) that may not be removed surgically. Radiation can also be performed as a surgical replacement therapy. The schedule of treatment depends on the type and size of the tumor and the age of the patient. Each radiotherapy session usually lasts only a few minutes.

Some forms of radiotherapy for brain cancer :

Fractionation: Radiotherapy is usually given five days a week for several weeks. Giving a total dose of radiation periodically helps to protect healthy tissue in the tumor area.

Hyperfractionation: The patient gets a small dose of radiation two or three times a day instead of a larger amount once a day.

Side effects of radiotherapy may include: prolonged fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, skin discoloration (such as burning) at radiation sites, headaches and seizures (symptoms of radiation necrosis).

Kemoterapi for Brain Cancer

Chemotherapy here means the use of one or more drugs to kill brain cancer cells.
Two types of approved chemotherapy drugs (US FDA ) for the treatment of glioma malignant brain cancer, are : temozolomide (Temodar) and bevacizumab (Avastin).
They are more effective, and have fewer side effects when compared with older chemo chemo drugs. But the disadvantage is that this medicine is still expensive.

For some patients with recurrent brain cancer cases, the surgeon usually performs tumor removal surgery and then implants a wafer containing chemotherapy drugs. For several weeks, the wafer dissolves, releasing the drug to the brain. The drug then kills its cancer cells.
Side effects of chemotherapy include: nausea and vomiting, canker sores, loss of appetite, hair loss, and many others. To deal with the side effects of chemotherapy, discuss this with your doctor.