Personal stories from real people who survived their disease … And how they did it!

personal stories from people who successfully battled their disease and how they did it

More about Brain Cancer

Brain cancer (Glioblastoma) is an overgrowth of cells in your brain that forms masses called tumors. Cancerous, or malignant, brain tumors can grow very quickly, depending on the type of tumor. They can disrupt the way your body works, and this can be life-threatening. However, brain cancer is quite uncommon. According to estimates from the American Cancer Society, people have less than a 1 percent chance of developing a malignant brain tumor in their lifetime.

Types

Cancer is named based on where in your body it begins. Brain cancer begins in your brain. This is sometimes referred to as primary brain cancer. You can also have cancer that has spread to your brain after starting somewhere else in your body. This is called metastatic brain cancer. Cancerous tumors in the brain are typically metastatic and not due to primary brain cancer. There are also types and grades of brain tumors. The tumor type is based on where it’s located in your brain, and the grade indicates how quickly a tumor grows. The grades range from 1 to 4, with grade 4 having the fastest growth. There are more than 120 types of brain tumors. However, there’s no standard for naming them according to type, and there are many subtypes. Different doctors might use different names for the same tumor. Glioblastoma is one of a group of tumors called astrocytomas. These tumors start in astrocytes — star-shaped cells that nourish and support nerve cells (neurons) in your brain. However, a glioblastoma can contain many different types of brain cells — including dead brain cells. About 12 to 15 percent of people with brain tumors have glioblastomas. This type of tumor grows very fast inside the brain. Its cells copy themselves quickly, and it has a lot of blood vessels to feed it. However, it rarely spreads to other parts of the body.

Symptoms

The symptoms of brain cancer depend on the size and location of the tumor. Common brain cancer symptoms include: headaches that are usually worse in the morning, nausea/vomiting, a lack of coordination, a lack of balance, difficulty walking, memory lapses, difficulty thinking or speech problems. Many of the symptoms of brain cancer are also caused by other, less-serious conditions. There’s no need to panic if you’re experiencing these symptoms, but it’s a good idea to visit your doctor to have your symptoms investigated, just in case.