Cerebral tumour Health Dictionary

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Cerebral Tumour: From 1 Different Sources

an abnormal multiplication of brain cells. Any tumorous swelling tends to compress or even destroy the healthy brain cells surrounding it and – because of the rigid closed nature of the skull – increases the pressure on the brain tissue. Malignant brain tumours, which are much more common in children than in adults, include *medulloblastomas and *gliomas; these grow rapidly, spreading through the otherwise normal brain tissue and causing progressive neurological disability. Benign tumours, such as *meningiomas, grow slowly and compress the brain tissue. Both benign and malignant tumours commonly cause fits. Benign tumours are often cured by total surgical resection. Malignant tumours may be treated by neurosurgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, but the outcome for most patients remains poor.

Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Tumour

A mass or swelling. The lump can be a neoplasm (benign or malignant) or a tumour can be a mass due to an infection or inflammation.... tumour

Cerebral Palsy

The term used to describe a group of conditions characterised by varying degrees of paralysis and originating in infancy or early childhood. In some 80 per cent of cases this takes the form of spastic paralysis (muscle sti?ness), hence the now obsolete lay description of sufferers as ‘spastics’. The incidence is believed to be around 2 or 2·5 per 1,000 of the childhood community. In the majority of cases the abnormality dates from well before birth: among the factors are some genetic malformation of the brain, a congenital defect of the brain, or some adverse e?ect on the fetal brain as by infection during pregnancy. Among the factors during birth that may be responsible is prolonged lack of oxygen such as can occur during a di?cult labour; this may be the cause in up to 15 per cent of cases. In some 10–15 per cent of cases the condition is acquired after birth, when it may be due to KERNICTERUS, infection of the brain, cerebral thrombosis or embolism, or trauma. Acute illness in infancy, such as meningitis, may result in cerebral palsy.

The disease manifests itself in many ways. It may not be ?nally diagnosed and characterised until the infant is two years old, but may be apparent much earlier – even soon after birth. The child may be spastic or ?accid, or the slow, writhing involuntary movements known as athetosis may be the predominant feature. These involuntary movements often disappear during sleep and may be controlled, or even abolished, in some cases by training the child to relax. The paralysis varies tremendously. It may involve the limbs on one side of the body (hemiplegia), both lower limbs (paraplegia), or all four limbs (DIPLEGIA and QUADRIPLEGIA). Learning disability (with an IQ under 70) is present in around 75 per cent of all children but children with diplegia or athetoid symptoms may have normal or even high intelligence. Associated problems may include hearing or visual disability, behavioural problems and epilepsy.

The outlook for life is good, only the more severely affected cases dying in infancy. Although there is no cure, much can be done to help these disabled children, particularly if the condition is detected at an early stage. Assistance is available from NHS developmental and assessment clinics, supervised by community paediatricians and involving a team approach from experts in education, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech training. In this way many of these handicapped children reach adulthood able to lead near-normal lives. Much help in dealing with these children can be obtained from SCOPE (formerly the Spastics Society), and Advice Service Capability Scotland (ASCS).... cerebral palsy

Wilms’ Tumour

Also called nephroblastoma. This is the commonest kidney tumour in infancy. It is a malignant tumour, which occurs in around one per 10,000 live births. The survival rate with modern treatment (removal of the kidney followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy) is now around 80 per cent.... wilms’ tumour

Cerebral Thrombosis

Formation of a blood clot within vessels of the brain. May be due to atheroma or embolism causing a blockage resulting in hypoxia (oxygen deficiency).

Alternatives. Teas. Lime flowers, Nettles, Horsetail, Ginkgo, Oats, Mistletoe, Yarrow.

Tea. Mix equal parts: Ginkgo, Hawthorn, Yarrow. One heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes; 1 cup thrice daily.

Tablets/capsules. Ginkgo, Hawthorn, Prickly Ash.

Diet. See: DIET–HEART AND CIRCULATION.

Supplements. Daily: Vitamin E 1000mg; B6 50mg; B12 2mcg. Selenium 200mcg; Zinc 15mg. Strict bedrest; regulate bowels; avoid excessive physical and mental exertion. ... cerebral thrombosis

Cerebral Haemorrhage

Bleeding within the brain due to a ruptured blood vessel (see intracerebral haemorrhage; stroke).... cerebral haemorrhage

Desmoid Tumour

A growth, usually in the abdominal wall.

The tumour is hard, with a well-defined edge.

The tumours occur most frequently in women who have had children.

They may also arise at the sites of old surgical incisions.

Surgical removal is the usual treatment.... desmoid tumour

Brain Tumour

An abnormal growth in or on the brain. Tumours may be primary growths arising directly from tissues within the skull or metastases (secondary growths) that have spread from tumours elsewhere in the body. The cause of primary brain tumours is not known. About 60 per cent are gliomas (frequently cancerous), which arise from the brain tissue. Other primary tumours include meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, and pituitary tumours. Most of these tumours are noncancerous, but their size can cause local damage. Certain types of primary brain tumour mainly affect children. These include 2 types of glioma called medulloblastoma and cerebellar astrocytoma. Primary brain tumours virtually never spread (metastasize) outside the central nervous system.

Symptoms include muscle weakness, loss of vision, or other sensory disturbances, speech difficulties, and epileptic seizures. Increased pressure within the skull can cause headache, visual disturbances, vomiting, and impaired mental functioning. Hydrocephalus may occur.

When possible, primary tumours are removed by surgery after opening the skull (see craniotomy).

In cases where a tumour cannot be completely removed, as much as possible of it will be cut away to relieve pressure.

For primary and secondary tumours, radiotherapy or anticancer drugs may also be given.

Corticosteroid drugs are often prescribed temporarily to reduce the size of a tumour and associated brain swelling.... brain tumour

Germ Cell Tumour

A growth comprised of immature sperm cells in the male testis or of immature ova in the female ovary. A seminoma is one type of germ cell tumour (see testis, cancer of).... germ cell tumour

Glomus Tumour

A small, bluish swelling in the skin, usually on a finger or toe near or under the nail, which is tender to touch and more painful if the limb is hot or cold.

The cause is overgrowth of the nerve structures that normally control blood flow and temperature in the skin.

The tumours are harmless but are surgically removed.... glomus tumour

Mixed Tumour

A neoplasm with a number of different cell types undergoing cancerous change.... mixed tumour

Anti-tumours

See: ANTI-NEOPLASTICS. ... anti-tumours

Adrenal Tumours

Cancerous or noncancerous tumours in the adrenal glands, usually causing excess secretion of hormones. Adrenal tumours are rare. Tumours of the adrenal cortex may secrete aldosterone, causing primary aldosteronism, or hydrocortisone, causing Cushing’s syndrome. Tumours of the medulla may cause excess secretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Two types of tumour affect the medulla: phaeochromocytoma and neuroblastoma, which affects children. These tumours cause intermittent hypertension and sweating attacks. Surgical removal of a tumour usually cures these conditions.... adrenal tumours

Apud Cell Tumour

A growth composed of cells that produce various hormones. These cells, amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) cells, occur in different parts of the body. Some tumours of the thyroid gland, pancreas, and lungs are cell tumours, as are a carcinoid tumour (see carcinoid syndrome) and phaeochromocytoma (a type of adrenal tumour).... apud cell tumour

Bone Tumour

A bone swelling that may be cancerous (see bone cancer) or noncancerous.

The most common type of noncancerous bone tumour is an osteochondroma.

Other types are osteoma and chondroma (see chondromatosis).

Treatment is only necessary if the tumour becomes very large or causes symptoms by pressing on other structures.

In such cases, the tumour can be removed by surgery.

Osteoclastoma (also called a giant cell tumour), which usually occurs in the arm or leg of a young adult, is tender and painful and has to be removed.... bone tumour

Dermoid Tumour

See dermoid cyst.... dermoid tumour

Bladder Tumours

Growths originating in the inner lining of the bladder. Many are papillomas (small wart-like growths), which tend to recur and will eventually become cancerous. Other, more malignant, growths may extend not only into the bladder cavity but may also spread through the bladder wall to involve nearby organs such as the colon, rectum, prostate gland, or uterus.

Bladder cancer is more common in smokers and workers in the dye and rubber industries. Haematuria (blood in the urine) is the main symptom of bladder cancer. A tumour may obstruct the entry of a ureter into the bladder, causing back pressure and pain in the kidney region, or may obstruct the urethral exit, causing difficulty in passing, or retention of, urine.

Bladder tumours are diagnosed using cystoscopy and biopsy of the abnormal area. If small, they can be treated by heat or surgically during cystoscopy. They tend to recur at the same or other sites within the bladder, so that regular follow-up cystoscopy is needed. Bladder tumours that have spread through the bladder wall may be treated by radiotherapy or by surgical removal of part or all of the bladder.... bladder tumours

Eye Tumours

Tumours of the eye are rare. When eye tumours do occur, they are usually cancerous and painless.

Retinoblastoma is a cancerous tumour of the retina that occurs in one or both eyes and most often affects children. It may be treated by radiotherapy, laser treatment, or cryosurgery, but the eye may have to be removed to prevent spread of the tumour.

Malignant melanoma is a cancer of the choroid. It usually affects older people. There are no symptoms in the early stages, but it eventually causes retinal detachment and distortion of vision. Small tumours can be treated by laser, but the eye may need to be removed to avoid spread of the tumour.

Secondary eye tumours occur when cancer elsewhere in the body spreads to the eye. Symptoms depend on the tumour’s location and growth rate. It may be controlled by radiotherapy.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of tumour affecting the eyelid. It usually has a crusty central crater and a rolled edge. In the early stages, treatment may be possible by surgery, radiotherapy, or cryosurgery.... eye tumours

Intestine, Tumours Of

Cancerous or noncancerous growths in the intestine. Cancerous tumours commonly affect the large intestine (see colon, cancer of; rectum, cancer of); the small intestine is only rarely affected. Lymphomas and carcinoid tumours (leading to carcinoid syndrome) may sometimes develop in the intestine; noncancerous tumours include polyps in the colon, and adenomas, leiomyomas, lipomas, and angiomas in the small intestine.... intestine, tumours of

Lung Tumours

Growths in the lungs. These tumours may be either cancerous (see lung cancer) or noncancerous.Cancerous lung tumours are usually associated with tobacco-smoking.

Noncancerous tumours occur less frequently than cancers.

The most common form of noncancerous tumour is a bronchial adenoma, which arises in the lining of a bronchus.

Adenomas often cause bronchial obstruction; affected people may also cough up blood.

Treatment involves surgical removal of the tumour.

Other rare noncancerous tumours include fibromas (which consist of fibrous tissue) and lipomas (which consist of fatty tissue).

No treatment is necessary unless the tumours are causing problems.... lung tumours

Skin Tumours

A growth on or in the skin that may be cancerous (see skin cancer) or noncancerous.

Keratoses and squamous papillomas are common types of noncancerous tumour; other types include sebaceous cysts, cutaneous horns, keratoacanthomas, and haemangiomas.... skin tumours

Trophoblastic Tumour

A growth arising from the tissues that develop into the placenta. The most common type of trophoblastic tumour is a hydatidiform mole. (See also choriocarcinoma.)... trophoblastic tumour

Tumour-specific Antigen

A substance secreted by a specific type of tumour that can be detected in the blood and may be used to help monitor a patient’s response to therapy.

Alpha-fetoprotein is an example of a tumour-specific antigen.... tumour-specific antigen

Pituitary Tumours

Growths in the pituitary gland. Pituitary tumours are rare, and mostly noncancerous, but tumour enlargement can put pressure on the optic nerves, causing visual defects.

The causes of pituitary tumours are unknown. They may lead to inadequate hormone production, causing problems such as cessation of menstrual periods or reduced sperm production. They may also cause the gland to produce excess hormone. Overproduction of growth hormone causes gigantism or acromegaly; too much thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) can lead to hyperthyroidism. Investigations include blood tests, X-rays, MRI of the pituitary, and usually also vision tests. Treatment may be by surgical removal of the tumour, radiotherapy, hormone replacement, or a combination of these techniques. The drug bromocriptine may be used; it can reduce production of certain hormones and shrink some tumours.... pituitary tumours

Wilms’ Tumour

A type of kidney cancer, also called nephroblastoma, that occurs mainly in children.... wilms’ tumour

Cerebral Abscess

see abscess.... cerebral abscess

Cerebral Aqueduct

(aqueduct of Sylvius) the narrow channel, containing cerebrospinal fluid, that connects the third and fourth *ventricles of the brain.... cerebral aqueduct

Cerebral Cortex

the intricately folded outer layer of the *cerebrum, making up some 40% of the brain by weight and composed of an estimated 15 thousand million neurons (see grey matter). This is the part of the brain most directly responsible for consciousness, with essential roles in perception, memory, thought, mental ability, and intellect, and it is responsible for initiating voluntary activity. It has connections, direct or indirect, with all parts of the body. The folding of the cortex provides a large surface area, the greater part lying in the clefts (sulci), which divide the upraised convolutions (gyri). On the basis of its microscopic appearance in section, the cortex is mapped into *Brodmann areas; it is also divided into functional regions; including *motor cortex, *sensory cortex, and *association areas. Within, and continuous with it, lies the *white matter, through which connection is made with the rest of the nervous system.... cerebral cortex

Cerebral Hemisphere

one of the two paired halves of the *cerebrum.... cerebral hemisphere

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

the presence of thrombosis in the dural venous sinuses, which drain blood from the brain. Symptoms may include headache, abnormal vision, any of the symptoms of stroke (such as weakness of the face and limbs on one side of the body), and seizures. Treatment is with anticoagulants.... cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Endodermal Sinus Tumour

a rare tumour of fetal remnants of the ovaries or testes. In women it is an aggressive malignant ovarian tumour that develops in adolescence and may secrete alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotrophin, which can be used as *tumour markers. It is treated by oophorectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy.... endodermal sinus tumour

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour

(GIST) a rare type of sarcoma arising from the gastrointestinal tract (usually the stomach), characterized by the presence of the receptor c-kit/CD117 on the surface of the tumour cells, which stimulates division of these cells. It displays a wide range of malignant behaviour. Specific treatment is available with *tyrosine kinase inhibitors.... gastrointestinal stromal tumour

Grawitz Tumour

see renal cell carcinoma. [P. A. Grawitz (1850–1932), German pathologist]... grawitz tumour

Hilar Cell Tumour

an androgen-producing tumour of the ovary found in older women and often resulting in *virilization. Such tumours are so called as they tend to occur around the area of the ovary where the blood vessels enter (the hilum). They are usually small and are treated by surgical removal, with resolution of most of the symptoms.... hilar cell tumour

Hürthle Cell Tumour

a malignant tumour of the thyroid gland that arises from Hürthle (or Askanazy) cells, altered follicular cells of the gland that have large nuclei and stain deeply with eosin (these cells are also found in benign nodules and Hashimoto’s disease). Hürthle cell carcinoma is not as common as papillary, follicular, or anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (see thyroid cancer). [K. W. Hürthle (1860–1945), German histologist]... hürthle cell tumour

Islet Cell Tumour

any tumour arising in a cell of the pancreatic *islets of Langerhans. These tumours, which include *insulinomas, *glucagonomas, and *somatostatinomas, form one of the two major subclasses of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours, the other being the *carcinoid tumours.... islet cell tumour

Klatskin Tumour

see cholangiocarcinoma. [G. Klatskin (20th century), US physician]... klatskin tumour

Krukenberg Tumour

a rapidly developing malignant growth in one or (more often) both ovaries. It is caused by the *transcoelomic spread of a primary growth in the stomach or intestine, typically an adenocarcinoma. [F. E. Krukenberg]... krukenberg tumour

Leydig Tumour

a tumour of the *interstitial (Leydig) cells of the testis. Such tumours often secrete testosterone, which in prepubertal boys causes *virilization and precocious puberty.... leydig tumour

Lindau’s Tumour

see haemangioblastoma. [A. Lindau (1892–1958), Swedish pathologist]... lindau’s tumour

Odontogenic Tumour

any one of a group of neoplasm tumour-like malformations arising from odontogenic tissues or their remnants. The most important example is the *ameloblastoma.... odontogenic tumour

Phantom Tumour

1. an accumulation of fluid (pleural effusion) in the lung in patients with heart failure, which resembles a lung tumour on radiological examination. 2. a swelling in the abdomen or elsewhere, caused by local muscular contraction or the accumulation of gases, that mimics a swelling caused by a tumour.... phantom tumour

Raspberry Tumour

an *adenoma of the umbilicus.... raspberry tumour

Sternomastoid Tumour

a small painless nonmalignant swelling in the lower half of the *sternomastoid muscle, appearing a few days after birth. It occurs when the neck of the fetus is in an abnormal position in the uterus, which interferes with the blood supply to the affected muscle, and it is most common after breech births. The tumour may cause a slight tilt of the head towards the tumour and turning of the face to the other side. This can be corrected by physiotherapy aimed at increasing all movements of the body, but without stretching the neck.... sternomastoid tumour

Tumour-associated Antigen

a protein produced by cancer cells. Its presence in the blood can be revealed by means of a simple blood test, aiding the diagnosis of malignant melanoma and other cancers at their earliest – and most treatable – stages of development.... tumour-associated antigen

Tumour-infiltrating Lymphocyte

(TIL) a lymphoid cell that can infiltrate solid tumours. Such cells can be cultured in vitro, in the presence of *interleukin 2, and have been used as vehicles for *tumour necrosis factor in gene therapy trials for cancer.... tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte

Tumour Marker

a substance produced by a tumour that can be used to aid detection of the tumour and to monitor its size and the effects of treatment. An example is *alpha-fetoprotein, which is used to monitor treatment of malignant *teratomas. See also CA125; CA19-9; carcino-embryonic antigen; human chorionic gonadotrophin.... tumour marker

Tumour Necrosis Factor

(TNF) either of two proteins, TNF-? or TNF-?, that function as *cytokines. Produced by macrophages, monocytes, T lymphocytes, and various other cells, they mediate many responses, including inflammation, and have a marked action against tumour cells. Anti-TNF drugs (see cytokine inhibitor) are used in the treatment of several disorders, especially rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.... tumour necrosis factor

Warthin’s Tumour

(adenolymphoma) a tumour of the parotid salivary glands, containing epithelial and lymphoid tissues with cystic spaces. [A. S. Warthin (1866–1931), US pathologist]... warthin’s tumour

Cerebral

pertaining to the largest part of the brain, the cerebrum.... cerebral

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