Brain Tumour

Brain Tumour Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Kurla

A brain tumour is a mass formed when brain cells multiply in an abnormal way. At CritiCare Asia Hospitals, a brain tumour hospital in Mumbai, our first step is to find out where the tumour began. Some start inside the brain itself. Others travel to the brain from cancers in the lungs, breast or skin. Knowing the origin decides which tests and which treatment come next, and it is the base of brain tumour treatment in Kurla, Mumbai.

Symptoms of Brain Tumour

Symptoms depend on where the tumour sits, because each part of the brain controls a different function. The headache that worries doctors is usually unlike an ordinary one. Other signs to watch for:

• Seizures (sudden fits or jerking), especially in someone who has never had them

• Blurred or double vision, or loss of side vision

• Trouble with balance, or unexplained falls

• Changes in personality, memory lapses or slow thinking

• Weakness, numbness or speech difficulty on one side

• Nausea and vomiting, especially with a headache

None of these proves a tumour. But if several appear together, or continue without a reason, get checked soon. A team of brain tumour specialists in Kurla, Mumbai can begin that evaluation.

Types of Brain Tumours

Tumours are grouped as benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer), and also as primary or secondary.

• Primary tumours start in the brain or the tissue around it. Gliomas grow from supportive cells called glial cells and are among the most common. Meningiomas grow from the membranes covering the brain and are usually slow-growing and benign. Pituitary adenomas form in the pituitary gland, which controls hormones, and can upset hormone levels before other symptoms show.

• Secondary tumours, also called metastatic, are actually more common. Cancer cells travel through the blood from another part of the body and settle in the brain. Treatment must deal with both the brain tumour and the original cancer.

Understanding Tumour Grading

Most brain tumours do not spread outside the brain, so they are not staged the way other cancers are. Doctors use a grade from I to IV instead. Grade I tumours grow slowly and can often be cured by surgery alone. Grade IV tumours, such as glioblastoma, grow fast and usually need several treatments together. The grade guides the outlook and the whole plan. The best oncologists in Mumbai at our hospital explain what it means for you.

How Brain Tumours Are Diagnosed

• MRI scan with contrast, a dye that makes the tumour easier to see. It shows size, position and how close the tumour is to nearby parts. A contrast CT scan is used if MRI cannot be done.
• Biopsy, where a small piece of tumour is taken and checked. In a stereotactic biopsy, scan images guide a needle through a small opening, which helps with deep or delicate spots. An open biopsy is done during surgery when more tissue is needed.
• Genetic testing of the tumour tissue, because certain gene changes affect which medicines will work

Risk Factors

For most people, the cause is never found, and no lifestyle habit has been proven to cause brain tumours. Two things are known:

• Earlier exposure to strong radiation, including radiation treatment to the head

• Inherited conditions such as neurofibromatosis, which raise risk within families

Treatment Options for Brain Tumour

Surgery is the main treatment when the tumour can be removed. The aim is to take out as much as is safe while protecting brain function. If a tumour lies near areas that control speech, movement or vision, mapping is used during brain tumour surgery in Kurla, Mumbai to protect those areas.

Some tumours cannot be fully removed. Deep or fast-growing ones, or cases where a patient is not fit for major surgery, may be treated with radiation and chemotherapy, sometimes with partial surgery to ease pressure.

• Radiation therapy
  focused beams that treat the tumour while sparing healthy brain. Stereotactic radiosurgery is used for well-defined tumours.

• Chemotherapy
  cancer-killing medicines for selected tumours, often given with radiation

• Targeted therapy
  medicines that act on the exact gene change driving a tumour

Recovery does not stop with surgery or the last radiation session. Neuro-rehabilitation includes speech therapy for language, cognitive therapy for memory and attention, and physical and occupational therapy for strength, balance and daily tasks.

Brain Tumour Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Kurla

A brain tumour diagnosis brings worry about the illness and about cost. CritiCare Asia Hospitals in Kurla, Mumbai keeps scans, treatment and rehabilitation visits within easy reach. Our team explains the estimate and the insurance or cashless process before treatment begins. Neurosurgery, neuro-oncology and radiation oncology plan together, because the order of treatments depends on tumour type, grade and position. Rehabilitation is planned from the start, not added later. If you or a family member has headaches or other symptoms that do not settle, book a consultation with our oncology team.