Benign Brain Tumors: A Lesser Cause for Concern

Nobody ever really wants to have a mass of extra tissues or a tumor in the brain. Usually though, when a person shows some initial symptoms of a brain tumor, being eventually diagnosed with a benign rather than a malignant tumor can be a cause of great relief. There are some things though that every patient should know about benign brain tumors. Sometimes common beliefs about benign brain tumors can be inaccurate or incomplete.

Benign Brain Tumors

In Latin, the term “benign” means “of a good type.” Benign brain tumors however are not really beneficial or helpful to a person but they are generally called such because they are not as harmful as malignant brain tumors.

Some of us simply understand benign brain tumors as those without cells that can spread, invade and destroy other healthy cells in the central nervous system. Benign tumors have obvious limits that allow many of them to be easily removed through surgery. Many of these surgically removed benign tumors do not grow back.

Patients should understand though that just because some tumors have boundaries and do not spread, does not mean that they do not cause complications or are not harmful. If a benign brain tumor is located in a very sensitive or critical part of the brain, it can be life threatening. These tumors might also grow in deep areas where they cannot be easily accessed through surgery without the risk of harming other tissues and cells of the brain. In some cases, benign tumors may eventually become malignant. Although they very rarely grow back after removal, some of them may.

Being diagnosed with a benign brain tumor may therefore give a patient great relief but it is not a reason to be complacent.

Diagnosis

Even experts cannot conclude if a tumor is benign or malignant just by analyzing a patient’s symptoms. A patient may have to undergo a series of lab and imaging tests before a conclusion can be formed. One of the most basic ways to determine the classification of a tumor is by surgically taking a portion of it so that it can be analyzed in a lab to see if it has cancer cells. The results will help specialists determine what treatment should be used.

Kinds of Benign Brain Tumors

Here are some common kinds of brain tumors that are most likely benign:

• A tumor on the 8th cranial nerve is commonly called an acoustic neuroma. This can lead to ringing in the ears and hearing problems. If left untreated a person may eventually become deaf.

• A meningioma is a tumor that affects the meninges or membranes that are layered over the spine and brain. In rare instances, this kind of tumor can also be malignant.

• High grade astrocytomas are malignant but a couple of low grade ones are often benign such as the juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma, a condition that affects children. Astrocytomas are called such because they affect star shaped astrocyte cells.

There are many other types of benign brain tumors. As mentioned though, making distinctions between truly benign and potentially dangerous benign growths can be difficult. Even with benign brain tumors, you should always have certified experts handling your case.