Simply defined, a brain tumor is an abnormal growth in the brain. The growth results from cells developing independently and uncontrollably. Brain tumors may grow in three primary brain parts, the cerebellum, the brain stem or the cerebrum. There are essentially two main types of brain tumors, malignant or benign. A malignant tumor is a kind of tumor that is made up of cancerous cells. On the other hand, benign tumors are not made up of cancerous cells. Consequently, malignant brain tumors can be fatal.
One major cause of brain tumors is genetics. This means that an individual’s gene pool is a very important factor. Depending on one’s genes, some people are more likely than others to develop brain tumors. For instance, people that have such genetic conditions as retinoblastoma, neurofibromatosis or the von Hippel-Lindau disease have a much higher chance of developing brain tumors than people that do not. However, it should be noted that it is not only people with such conditions that develop brain tumors. Still, people that do not manifest the stated genetic conditions may also develop brain tumors. The reason for this is because, genetic abnormalities could result from environmental factors, which distort the genetic make up of the cells; the DNA. Consequently, people from one family may all develop brain tumors, not as a result of genetic abnormalities, but because they are all exposed to environmental conditions that have interfered with the normal make up of their DNA.
Research into the cause of brain tumors has provided insight into the fact that patients suffering from brain tumors may have at one time or another in their past been exposed to certain disruptive elements. It is a well known fact in medicine that some chemicals greatly alter gene structure exposing the body to various diseases. For this reason, it has been concluded that people that work in such industries as rubber manufacturing or oil refining are at a greater risk of developing brain tumors, which can be directly associated to the kind of chemicals that they are exposed to as compared to other individuals that work in various other fields and professions.
In some cases, patients may develop certain malignancies that may require radiation treatment. If these are located in the head and radiation therapy is offered, it exposes the patient to further risk of developing brain tumors in the future, even if they survive the radiation and recover from the malignancies.
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