Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Tumors

Brain cancers are generally presumed to be life-threatening. When a person is diagnosed with a tumor in the brain, the whole family goes through an emotional upheaval. Here you will find the most popular questions asked about brain tumors and answers supported by the best neurosurgeon in Hyderabad, Dr. Raveesh Sunkara. #1 What Is The Best Way To Tell If You Have A Brain Tumour? What Does It Feel Like? There is no way you can tell if a brain tumor is growing except for keen observations of the symptoms. Some differences you can look for are: • There is a distinct pattern of headaches that worsens with time and doesn't go away with over-the-counter medicines. • Vomiting and nausea for no particular reason. • Compromised eyesight like blurred vision. • Not being able to focus and memory loss. • No proper sleep.

#2 If I Am Diagnosed With A Brain Tumour, Can It Be Dangerous? Two types of brain tumors exist. One is benign, and the other is malignant. The benign tumors are slow-growing and do not spread. They belong in the first or second grade. With timely intervention, the patient can beat such tumors. The most notorious and life-threatening are the malignant ones. There is a potential risk of cancerous cells spreading and causing damage to other parts of the brain and spinal cord. Even in Malignant brain tumors, there are a lot of advancements and one can expect a long life with proper treatment. #3 What Is The Grade Of The Tumour? What Exactly Does This Imply? A tumor's grade indicates how quickly it will grow and spread. Low-grade tumors, beginning with grade 1, have cancer cells that resemble healthy cells and tissue in appearance and organization. The cells in Grade 4 are the most abnormally differentiating. These grades differ from the stages of cancer. For example Gliomas in the brain are divided into 4 grades and the most common types in each grade are: • Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Grade I • Low-grade Astrocytoma (Grade II) • Anaplastic Astrocytoma, Grade III • Glioblastoma, grade IV (GBM)

#4 What Are The Well-Practiced Treatment Options For Brain Tumours? Every patient requires a personalized treatment plan and a qualified neurosurgeon can suggest what works the best. Brain tumor treatments may include multiple of the following options. • Surgery • Radiotherapy or radiosurgery

• Chemotherapy

• Targeted drugs

• Follow-up treatments like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc. #5 How Long Does The Brain Tumour Treatment Process Take? How Long Will I Be Hospitalized? Depending on the complication and the treatment modality, the time can be estimated. Craniotomy and excision of tumors usually take 3-5 hours for simple tumors and can be much longer for complex brain tumors. The total time spent, including pre-and post-surgery procedures, can vary a lot. Patients who have no complications typically have to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. Patients with post-surgery complications may be asked to stay longer for further observation. There are a lot of modern technologies like Neuro Navigation, High powered microscopes which make not only surgeries faster but also shorten the recovery period drastically. The radiotherapy sessions may take 35-45 minutes once a day. It can go for 3-5 days a week. The treatment may last for 1-2 months.

On the other hand, a chemotherapy session may last from minutes to a few hours. The treatment happens over the course of 6-8 months. If you are opting for the best brain tumor clinic in Hyderabad, you can have the assurance of quick recovery and less hospitalization time. #6 What Are The Recovery Chances From A Brain Tumour? Can My Life Go Back To Normal? Cancer is still a mystery to us. Scientists keep discovering variations. There is no valid data set for brain tumor types individually to draw any conclusions about survival. The researchers and the doctors observe a five-year mark to determine the survival chance along with age and other patient complications. For a young age group (below 15), the survival rate from most malignant brain tumors is more than 75%. However, it reduces with the patient's age and aggressiveness of the tumor. #7 What Are The Costs Associated With Brain Tumours? Expenses vary for different cities and hospitals. Brain tumor surgery cost in Hyderabad ranges from 300000 – 750000 INR. The expenses will include diagnostic tests, treatments, follow-up visits, and medications. Modern technologies are helping us cut these costs by reducing the average length of stay in patients. Ultimately it is how fast the patient recovers that dictate the final bill and modern technologies are playing a vital role in reducing complications which is a major concern for delayed recovery. One such example is the use of Neuro Navigation which helps the surgeon to plan a smaller craniotomy and find the least invasive way to reach the tumor in the brain thus reducing the recovery period to almost half. #8 Is There Any Way To Avoid A Brain Tumour? Cancer risk is influenced by a variety of factors other than genetic disorders. Beware of exposure to harmful radiation in the environment. Cancer can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle that includes exercising and eating well. Avoid smoking tobacco and excessive alcohol. Some tumors appear without warning. See your regular healthcare provider if you suspect anything.