Brain Tumor Facts and Statistics:

• Brain tumors are the leading cause of death of all cancers in children up to age 19 
• Every year more than 25,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor                          
• The incidence rate of all benign and malignant brain and central nervous system tumors is 16.5 cases per 100,000 persons per year.
• 9.2 per 100,000 persons for benign tumors
• 7.3 per 100,000 persons for malignant tumors

A doctor should be seen if any of these symptoms appear:

1. frequent headaches
2. nausea
3. vomiting
4. seizures or convulsions
5. difficultly thinking
6. difficultly speaking (finding words)
7. personality changes
8. loss of appetite
9. memory loss
10. confusion

A neurological examination should be done. If your examination is abnormal your doctor will then order additional testing.

CT or CAT (Computed Axial Tomography)- gives a two dimensional image of your brain.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)- this scan uses magnetic fields and radio waves to get images of the brain.

PET (Positron Emission Tomography)- helps detect unsure brain activity by studying brain chemistry and blood flow in your brain.

Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap)- fluid is removed from the spinal canal to check for diseases.

Benign tumors have non-cancerous cells that have boundaries. Surgery alone can cure it.

Malignant tumors are cancerous and deadly. The cancer cells in a Malignant tumor may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the brain or spinal cord.