Doctor: Brain tumours are less-understood entities

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 7

Brain tumours are feared and less-understood entities. It’s a misconception that all brain tumours are cancerous and once you suffer from brain tumour, you are doomed, said Dr Dushyant Thaman, a neurosurgery specialist, while raising awareness on World Brain Tumour Day, which falls on June 8 every year.

Medical experts come forward to shed light on the myths and rumours associated with the disease every year on this day.

Dr Dushyant said brain tumour may arise principally from two structures — the covering of the brain tissue, which is called the dura mater and the brain tissues itself.

He said the tumours arising from dura mater called meningiomas are usually benign and non-cancerous. “They grow slowly and compress the brain, rather than invade it. Most symptoms are caused by compression. Meningiomas may reach a size of 7 cm to 10 cm before detection, making surgery very difficult,” he said, adding that most of meningiomas are curable.

He said tumors arising from the brain parenchyma are called gliomas. “Symptoms such as morning headache, vomiting, visual disturbances, first-time epilepsy in any adult should be evaluated by MRI scan and treatment should be started,” he said.

Dr Thaman said early diagnosis and treatment can help in saving a patient from many complications.

“It is time to recognise, create awareness and motivate patients with brain tumours and their caregivers,” he said.