The abnormal growth of brain cells is called a brain tumor. This type of tumor can start in the brain itself or arise as an outbreak of other types of cancer. The primary tumor or cancer that originates in the brain is of many types, such as meningioma, acoustic neuroma, pineoblastoma, ependymoma, and oligodendroglioma. The name of cancer is derived from the type of cell from which the cancer originates. Brain cancer is almost always fatal and could cause a number of other health problems. Due to its highly intricate nature, the study of brain cancer proceeds at a very slow pace.
The top 3 causes of brain cancer are:
DNA mutation
Cancer occurs when the cell loses its ability to die. Plainly speaking, cells become immortal. And they begin to multiply rapidly and proliferate at great speed. This change is believed to occur in the cell due to a mutation (change) in the structure of the cell’s DNA. The abnormal cells have no place to move and begin to clump together, creating bumps or tumors that we see. Soon these cells begin to infect other cells and turn them cancerous.
Age and gender
Although people of all ages are at risk for brain cancer, the rate of occurrence increases with age. Statistics have shown that men are more prone to this brain disease than women. Women, on the other hand, have more types of non-cancerous tumors.
Inheritance
Genetic conditions also play an important role in causing cancer. Children of cancer patients are more prone to this disease.
Medical conditions
Those with diseases such as neurofibromatosis, Turcot syndrome, Gorlin syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, AIDS, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome have been found to be more prone to cancer.
Miscellaneous causes
Harmful ultraviolet rays have been found to be one of the leading causes of skin cancer. Whether these rays damage brain cells has not yet been studied. Smoking, alcohol, hair dyes, and other chemicals are believed to be carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Recently, there are many studies on how the use of mobile phones could be related to brain cancer. Some research studies also link brain cancer to living near areas that have power lines. Children who are exposed to radiation therapy for other treatments are believed to have an increased risk of brain cancer.
