By Dr.Ravindra Patil
The title of this essay seems so attractive. It seems this article will present a nice, magical way of preventing brain tumours. Brain tumours are something for which cure is difficult and in some cases not possible. Brain tumours are diseases which are very difficult to treat because brain tumours are located inside the skull and in many cases very difficult to approach. Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy have opened doors to the treatment of some brain tumours which are not operable by surgery. Surgery of brain tumours remains the ideal way to get rid of a brain tumour forever, but surgery has its own risks. And, in some cases, surgery is not possible.
There is no known way to prevent brain tumours. But those people who are likely to get brain tumours, need to be more aggressive in getting themselves screened for brain tumours. The reason is, children of people who suffered brain tumours are more likely to suffer brain tumours. A family history of brain tumours in near blood relatives indicates an increased risk of brain tumours. Such people must consider screening tests to detect brain tumours.
A brain tumour occurs when neurons are mutated and thus abnormal cells are formed. Glioma and meningioma are the two most common types or brain tumours, comprising approximately 75% of all brain tumours.
The subject of diseases and their cure is not easy. It is never possible to say: “Don’t do this and you will never suffer that disease”. Currently only ‘risk factors’ can be presented. Risk factors are something which need to be avoided, if possible.
Since brain tumours cannot be prevented at this time, it is but natural that much research will continue to be done on the subject. Rather than prevention, currently the focus is on which are the likely people who might get a brain tumour. One major research showed that:
The other deductions from the above research was that once a brain tumour was detected, to slow down its rate of growth, immediate care should be:
Even after a successful brain tumour surgery, and postoperative patients should be encouraged in avoiding infections by maintaining proper hygiene and eating a healthy diet for their speedy recovery.
Again, screening isn’t prevention, but it might help find a brain tumour early and when the tumour is small. And detection of the tumour when it is small greatly improves chances of a successful treatment.
Human beings have been using tobacco in various forms since over nine hundred years. Christopher Columbus was given dried tobacco leaves as a gift by the American Indians in 1492. The tobacco plant and smoking was introduced to Europeans. In 1531 Europeans start cultivation of the tobacco plant in Central America. Tobacco may be providing relief and pleasure to its users, but it’s use also lead to many diseases, cancer being one of them. Brain tumours are also attributed to the use of tobacco. Tobacco in every form is bad for health, whether it is chewed, snuffed or smoked.
Cigarette smoking is a major source of multiple systemically absorbed chemical carcinogens including, among others, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and NOCs. Among smokers, tobacco smoke is by far the greatest source of exposure to NOCs.
Although nicotine may increase the permeability of the blood–brain barrier, it is unknown if NOCs penetrate the human brain tissue.
Lifestyle changes, especially dietary habits, are at the basis of chronic systemic low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, and majority of diseases. An inflammatory reaction jeopardizes the high glucose needs of our brain, causing various adaptations, including insulin resistance, functional reallocation of energy-rich nutrients, and changing serum lipoprotein composition.
With the advent of the agricultural and industrial revolutions, we have introduced numerous false inflammatory triggers in our lifestyle, driving us to a state of chronic systemic low-grade inflammation that eventually leads to typical Western diseases via an evolutionary conserved interaction between our immune system and metabolism. The underlying triggers are an abnormal dietary composition and microbial flora, insufficient physical activity and sleep, chronic stress, and environmental pollution. The disturbance of our inflammatory/anti-inflammatory balance is illustrated by dietary fatty acids and antioxidants. Association between long term exposure to pm2.5 absorbance and malignant brain tumours is seen.
Treatment options for brain tumours include: Radiation therapy, Surgery, Chemotherapy. Many a times, a combination of two or all three methods is used.
Radiation therapy uses strong beams of energy to kill brain cancer cells. Special equipment ensures that the strong beams of radiation are focussed only on the tumour cells. Radiation is often used along with surgery or chemotherapy to treat brain tumours.
To conclude, brain tumours are rare, treatment options are available. Living a healthy lifestyle is the key point. People with stressful life condition, wrong diet, and sedentary lifestyle and those addicted to alcohol, with the habit of cigarette smoking, have higher risk of brain tumours. Males are more prone to brain tumours.
Samarth Neuro and Superspeciality Hospital has 100+ beds & specializes in emergency surgery for neurological issues/disorders & diagnostics.
Samarth Neuro and Superspeciality Hospital
