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disease
Brain Tumour
Overview
Definition Brain tumours: refers to a mixed group of neoplasms originating from intracranial tissues and the meninges with degrees of malignancy ranging from benign to aggressiv |
Classification
WHO Classification of Primary Brain Tumors |
Neuroepithelial tumors |
Astrocytic tumors |
Oligodendroglial tumors |
Oligoastrocytic tumors |
Ependymal tumors |
Choroid plexus tumors |
Neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors |
Pineal tumors |
Embryonal tumors |
Tumours of cranial and paraspinal nerves |
Schwannoma |
Neurofibroma |
Perineurioma |
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor |
Tumours of the meninges |
Meningioma |
Lymphomas and hematopoietic neoplasms |
Common Brain Tumour in children
- Pilocytic astrocytomas
- Ependymoma
- Medulloblastoma
Common Brain Tumours in adults
- Diffuse astrocytic tumours
- Oligodendrogliomas
- Meningiomas
Benign vs. Malignant
PRIMARY MALIGNANT INTRACRANIAL TUMOURS
Histological type | Common site | Age
|
Glioma (astrocytoma) | Cerebral hemisphere Cerebellum Brain stem |
Adulthood Childhood/adulthood Childhood/young adulthood |
Oligodendroglioma | Cerebral hemisphere | Adulthood |
Medulloblastoma | Posterior fossa | Childhood |
Ependymoma | Posterior fossa | Childhood/adolescence |
Cerebral lymphoma (microglioma) | Cerebral hemisphere | Adulthood |
PRIMARY BENIGN INTRACRANIAL TUMOURS
Histological type | Common site | Age
|
Meningioma | Cortical dura Parasagittal Sphenoid ridge Suprasellar Olfactory groove | Adulthood |
Neurofibroma | Acoustic neuroma | Adulthood |
Craniopharyngioma | Suprasellar | Childhood/adolescence |
Pituitary adenoma | Pituitary fossa | Adulthood |
Colloid cyst | Third ventricle | Any age |
Pineal tumours | Quadrigeminal cistern | Childhood (teratomas) Young adulthood (germ cell) |
Risk Factors
Signs and Symptoms
Remember Seizures are the presenting symptom in 25% of tumours. |
Common Signs and Symptoms
- Headache
- Memory loss
- Cognitive changes
- Motor deficit
- Language deficit
- Seizures
- Personality change
- Visual problems
- Changes in consciousness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensory deficit
- Papilledema
Differential Diagnosis
- Infection (pyogenic abscess, tuberculoma, parasitic cysts)
- Vascular lesion (haematoma, infarct with oedema and peripheral luxury perfusion, AVM, giant aneurysm).
- Traumatic haematoma
- Inflammatory lesion
Investigations and Diagnosis
- CT
- MRI
- Cerebral angiogram
Remember Earlier diagnosis of brain tumours in children and young adults improves long term outcomes