NEURO Neoplastic Flashcards
Astrocytoma
- Oligodendroglioma
A type of cancer that can form in the brain or spinal cord. Astrocytoma begins in cells called astrocytes that support nerve cells. Astrocytoma signs and symptoms depend on the location of your tumor. Astrocytomas that occur in the brain can cause seizures, headaches and nausea.
Oligodendrogliomas are a rare type of brain tumour that develops from glial cells called oligodendrocytes. They are more common in adults than in children.
SYMPTOMS:
Depend on where the tumour is in the brain. Common symptoms include headaches and seizures (fits).
Glioma
A type of tumor that occurs in the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas begin in the gluey supportive cells (glial cells) that surround nerve cells and help them function. Three types of glial cells can produce tumors.
Types of glioma include: Astrocytomas, including astrocytoma, anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma. Ependymomas, including anaplastic ependymoma, myxopapillary ependymoma and subependymoma. Oligodendrogliomas, including oligodendroglioma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma and anaplastic oligoastrocytoma.
SYMPTOMS:
Headache.
Nausea or vomiting.
Confusion or a decline in brain function.
Memory loss.
Personality changes or irritability.
Difficulty with balance.
Urinary incontinence.
Vision problems, such as blurred vision, double vision or loss of peripheral vision.
Medulloblastoma
The most common type of cancerous brain tumor in children. Medulloblastoma is a cancerous brain tumor that starts in the lower back part of the brain, called the cerebellum. The cerebellum is involved in muscle coordination, balance and movement.
SYMPTOMS:
Headaches.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Blurred and double vision.
Extreme sleepiness.
Confusion.
Seizures and even passing out.
Meningioma
A primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor. This means it begins in the brain or spinal cord. Overall, meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor. However, higher grade meningiomas are very rare
SYMPTOMS:
Changes in vision, such as seeing double or blurriness.
Headaches, especially those that are worse in the morning.
Hearing loss or ringing in the ears.
Memory loss.
Loss of smell.
Seizures.
Weakness in your arms or legs.
Language difficulty.
CAUSE:
Meningioma is most common in adults age 65 or older, but it can occur at any age. Meningioma is rare in children. Gender. Women are about twice as likely as men to develop noncancerous meningioma.
Neuroblastoma
A cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body. Neuroblastoma most commonly arises in and around the adrenal glands, which have similar origins to nerve cells and sit atop the kidneys. Neuroblastoma cells can also sometimes release chemicals called hormones, which can affect other parts of the body. Because of this, neuroblastoma can cause many different signs and symptoms.
SYMPTOMS:
Lump or swelling in the child’s belly that doesn’t seem to hurt
Swelling in the legs or in the upper chest, neck, and face
Problems with breathing or swallowing
Weight loss
Not eating or complaining about feeling full
Problems with bowel movements or urinating
Pain in bones
Lumps or bumps under the skin, which may appear blue
Drooping eyelid and small pupil (the black area in the center of the eye) in one eye
Problems being able to feel or move parts of the body
Eyes that appear to bulge and/or bruising around the eyes
CAUSE:
The two biggest risk factors for neuroblastoma are age and heredity. Age: Most cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed in children between the ages of one and two, and 90% are diagnosed before the age of 5. Heredity: 1% to 2% of neuroblastoma cases seem to be the result of a gene inherited from a parent
Neurofibromatoses
A group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There are three types of neurofibromatosis: neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) and schwannomatosis
SYMPTOMS:
Flat, light brown spots on the skin (cafe au lait spots). …
Freckling in the armpits or groin area.
Tiny bumps on the iris of the eye (Lisch nodules).
Soft, pea-sized bumps on or under the skin (neurofibromas).
Bone deformities.
Tumor on the optic nerve (optic glioma).
Learning disabilities.
CAUSE:
Genetic defects (mutations) that either are passed on by a parent or occur spontaneously at conception. The specific genes involved depend on the type of neurofibromatosis: NF1 . The NF1 gene is located on chromosome 17
Neuroma
A disorganized growth of nerve cells at the site of a nerve injury. A neuroma occurs after a nerve is partially or completely disrupted by an injury — either due to a cut, a crush, or an excessive stretch.
SYMPTOMS:
A feeling as if you’re standing on a pebble in your shoe.
A burning pain in the ball of your foot that may radiate into your toes.
Tingling or numbness in your toes.
Retinoblastoma
an eye cancer that begins in the retina — the sensitive lining on the inside of your eye. Retinoblastoma most commonly affects young children, but can rarely occur in adults
SYMPTOMS:
A white color in the center circle of the eye (pupil) when light is shone in the eye, such as when someone takes a flash photograph of the child.
Eyes that appear to be looking in different directions.
Poor vision.
Eye redness.
Eye swelling.
CAUSE:
For most instances of retinoblastoma, it’s not clear what causes the genetic mutation that leads to cancer. However, it’s possible for children to inherit a genetic mutation from their parents.
Schwannoma
A rare type of tumor that forms in the nervous system. Schwannoma grows from cells called Schwann cells. Schwann cells protect and support the nerve cells of the nervous system. Schwannoma tumors are often benign, which means they are not cancer. But, in rare cases, they can become cancer
SYMPTOMS:
A visible lump that may feel tender when you put pressure on it.
Numbness.
Muscle weakness.
Pins-and-needles feeling (paresthesia).
Pain that’s aching, burning or sharp.
CAUSE:
The cause of schwannomas isn’t known in most cases. Approximately 90% of cases occur sporadically (randomly). Genetic disorders such as Carney complex, neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) and schwannomatosis can cause schwannomas
*Tumor Related Seizure
Epilepsy is rather common in people with brain tumours – seizures can be the presenting symptom (i.e., seizures may be the reason an individual with a brain tumor seeks medical help) or may occur later in the course of progression of the brain tumor.
