Brain cancer symptoms can appear in people of any age, including teenagers. In recent years, nearly 13% of all new brain cancers were diagnosed in patients under the age of 20, with another 9% diagnosed in patients aged 20 to 34. As a result, it’s critical for adolescents and young adults, as well as their parents, to understand the symptoms and report any unusual developments to an experienced physician as soon as possible.
Symptoms
Brain cancer causes symptoms that are similar in both teenagers and adults. The following are the most common symptoms:
- Severe headaches
- Seizures
- Memory problems
- Depression
- Personality or mood changes
- Cognitive changes, including issues with language and communication; attention and concentration; or reasoning and judgment
- Neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as aggression, hallucination, paranoia and violent behaviors
- Excessive fatigue
- Balance problems
- Double vision or vision loss
- Lack of coordination or decreased muscle control
Brain cancer can also impede pubescent growth. Endocrine dysfunction can occur when brain cancer compresses the pituitary gland, which is responsible for hormone production. Females may experience irregular menstrual patterns, a loss of libido, and a loss of body or facial hair as a result of this.
While these symptoms do not always indicate brain cancer and are often caused by less serious conditions, it is critical to seek immediate medical attention if they occur. An experienced physician can assess a patient to determine whether additional medical testing is required.
What Causes Brain Cancer?
Brain cancer is classified into two types:
- primary and
- secondary (metastatic) brain tumors.
Primary brain tumors begin in the brain, whereas metastatic brain tumors begin in another organ, such as the breast or lung, and spread to the brain. While secondary brain tumors are caused by other types of cancer spreading and metastasizing, researchers are unable to determine the exact causes of primary brain cancer. However, they can explain how malignant brain tumors form.
Brain cancers are generally caused by genetic mutations in healthy cells. These genetic mutations cause healthy brain cells to grow and divide much faster than usual, while also preventing them from dying when their natural life cycles are completed.
It can also be caused due to cell phone radiation. Prof Girish Kumar from the Electrical Engineering Department of IIT Mumbai had recently submitted a report to the central government on the serious health hazards of excessive use of the latest technology. He also pointed out that the release of free radicals into the human body due to excessive use of cell phones was also causing irreversible damage to male fertility. The scientist stressed that children, in particular, were suffering grave threats to their health as “ a child’s skull is thinner and easily penetrated by radiation.”
Brain Cancer Risk Factors
Researchers have discovered several brain cancer risk factors, which are characteristics that can predispose a person to tumors of the brain and spinal cord. The following are some of the most common risk factors for brain cancer:
1) Exposure to radiation
2) Genetics
3) Immune system deficiency Age
4) Sexual adolescence
5) Pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer exposure
6) Element exposure to lead, plastic, rubber, petroleum, and certain textiles
7) There is a family history of brain tumors.
How to get tested for brain cancer
Even for high-risk individuals, no single brain cancer screening test can predict his or her future cancer risk with 100% accuracy. A doctor may advise a patient with one of these risk factors to have regular physical exams and imaging scans. If a potential abnormality is discovered, additional diagnostic tests, such as:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are frequently used to detect brain cancer in patients. Needle biopsies are recommended for tumors in sensitive areas of the brain or in difficult-to-reach areas. A biopsy can also be performed during a brain tumor removal operation. The tissue of the tumor will be examined under a microscope to determine whether it is cancerous.
If a patient’s test results show that he or she has a brain tumor, there are numerous treatment options available to him or her. Treatment for this cancer is heavily influenced by the patient’s overall health as well as the type, size, and location of the tumor. Some of the most common treatment options include neurosurgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and clinical trials.
