Brain Cancer Essay

Did you know that an estimated 13,000 people died from brain tumors in the United States in 2009? As a matter of fact, more 200,000 US cases of brain tumors are reported per year according to Brain Tumor Society. Brain tumor is abnormal growth of tissue in the brain and comes in two forms, benign and malignant. A benign brain tumor is made up of non-cancerous cells and does not spread beyond the part of the brain where it initially formed. A malignant brain tumor, on the other hand, is composed of cancer cells or non-cancerous cells that harms vital functions of the brain. These cancerous brain cells rarely spread to other parts of the body, unlike other cancer cells, and instead stays in the brain. For this reason, this disease is called “brain tumor” instead of “brain cancer”. In 2003, my uncle was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, but that was not the end. In 2011, my dad was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. As time passed by, things got more and more serious for my dad
Some common symptoms caused by this illness includes: headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, balance problems, personality or behavior changes, seizures, drowsiness, or even coma. Headaches caused by brain tumors tend to get worse over time as the tumor grows and grows. As for seizures, it is calculated that about half the people with brain tumor will have a seizure at some point. Effects of brain tumors also depend on where the tumor is. Often, brain tumors can harm functions of the brains that is near the region of the brain tumor. For example, tumors in the parts of the cerebrum (the large, outer part of the brain) that control movement or sensation can cause weakness or numbness of part of the body, often on just one side. As for my dad, his tumor was located near cranial nerves of the left side of the brain, resulting in hearing loss of his left