Timely action can save lives

In an interaction with The Tribune, Dr Preety Negi, senior consultant, Department of Radiation Oncology at Capitol Hospital, Jalandhar, emphasises that early diagnosis and timely intervention can significantly improve outcomes for brain tumour patients.

Brain tumours are widely recognised by the public as a serious health condition, but outcomes are no longer as grim as they once were. According to the World Health Organisation, brain tumours in India are diagnosed in five to 10 individuals per one lakh population.

Symptoms of brain tumours vary depending on their location in the brain and may include headaches, involuntary body movements, limb weakness, difficulty speaking or understanding language, vision disturbances or problems with balance.

However, several barriers hinder early detection. These include vague or non-specific symptoms, lack of awareness and the stigma surrounding brain tumours. As a result, patients often delay diagnosis, turn to alternative treatments and postpone essential medical care — factors that reduce the chances of effective treatment and cure. Dr Negi advises that if such symptoms persist, individuals should not ignore them and must consult medical experts without delay.

MRI and CT scans remain the most effective tools for identifying the location and size of a brain tumour. Additional diagnostic methods like spectroscopy and biopsy help determine the tumour’s type and whether it is cancerous. Biopsies can be performed during surgery to remove the tumour or through a stereotactic (minimally invasive) procedure.

Depending on the specific case, further tests such as genetic mutation profiling or lumbar puncture may be necessary. The treatment approach is determined by several factors, including tumour type, size, location, patient age and overall health.

Benign brain tumours — such as chordomas, meningiomas and pituitary adenomas — are non-cancerous and can often be successfully treated with surgery alone. In certain cases, these may require additional radiation therapy.

Malignant brain tumours, including astrocytomas, ependymomas, glioblastoma multiforme and medulloblastomas, are cancerous and typically require a multi-pronged treatment approach. This may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and supportive care.

Among these treatments, radiation therapy is used to deliver high doses of X-rays to destroy or shrink cancerous cells. Advanced techniques such as radiosurgery use highly focused radiation beams to target and eliminate tumour cells precisely.

Chemotherapy, often combined with surgery or radiation, involves drugs administered either orally or intravenously. Targeted therapies selectively disrupt specific cancer cell mechanisms and are tailored to each tumour’s biological profile.

Dr Negi concludes that early diagnosis, prompt treatment and expert oncological care are critical to managing brain tumours effectively and improving patients’ quality of life.