Information about Brain Tumors
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The Brain
Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system.
This complex system is part of everything we do. It controls the things
we choose to do--like walk and talk--and the things our body does
automatically--like breathe and digest food. The central nervous
system is also involved with our senses--seeing, hearing, touching,
tasting, and smelling--as well as our emotions, thoughts, and memory.
The brain is a soft, spongy mass of nerve cells and supportive tissue. It
has three major parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain
stem. The parts work together, but each has special functions. The
cerebrum, the largest part of the brain, fills most of the upper skull. It
has two halves called the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The
cerebrum uses information from our senses to tell us what is going on
around us and tells our body how to respond. The right hemisphere
controls the muscles on the left side of the body, and the left
hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body. This
part of the brain also controls speech and emotions as well as reading,
thinking, and learning. The cerebellum, under the cerebrum at the
back of the brain, controls balance and complex actions like walking
and talking. The brain stem connects the brain with the spinal cord. It
controls hunger and thirst and some of the most basic body functions,
such as body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing. The brain is
protected by the bones of the skull and by a covering of three thin
membranes called meninges. The brain is also cushioned and
protected by cerebrospinal fluid. This watery fluid is produced by
special cells in the four hollow spaces in the brain, called ventricles. It
flows through the ventricles and in spaces between the meninges.
Cerebrospinal fluid also brings nutrients from the blood to the brain
and removes waste products from the brain. The spinal cord is made
up of bundles of nerve fibers. It runs down from the brain through a
canal in the center of the bones of the spine. These bones protect the
spinal cord. Like the brain, the spinal cord is covered by the meninges
and cushioned by cerebrospinal fluid. Spinal nerves connect the brain
with the nerves in most parts of the body. Other nerves go directly from
the brain to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the head. This network of
nerves carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest
of the body. The body is made up of many types of cells. Each type of
cell has special functions. Most cells in the body grow and then divide
in an orderly way to form new cells as they are needed to keep the
body healthy and working properly. When cells lose the ability to
control their growth, they divide too often and without any order.
The
extra cells form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Tumors are benign or
malignant. Benign brain tumors do not contain cancer cells. Usually
these tumors can be removed, and they are not likely to recur. Benign
brain tumors have clear borders. Although they do not invade nearby
tissue, they can press on sensitive areas of the brain and cause
symptoms. Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells. They interfere
with vital functions and are life threatening. Malignant brain tumors are
likely to grow rapidly and crowd or invade the tissue around them. Like
a plant, these tumors may put out "roots" that grow into healthy brain
tissue. If a malignant tumor remains compact and does not have roots,
it is said to be encapsulated. When an otherwise benign tumor is
located in a vital area of the brain and interferes with vital functions, it
may be considered malignant (even though it contains no cancer
cells). Doctors refer to some brain tumors by grade--from low grade
(grade I) to high grade (grade IV). The grade of a tumor refers to the
way the cells look under a microscope. Cells from higher grade tumors
are more abnormal looking and generally grow faster than cells from
lower grade tumors; higher grade tumors are more malignant than
lower grade tumors.
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