What are brain tumors?
Brain tumors are abnormal cells in the brain that grow out of control, creating a mass that becomes a tumor. The rate of growth may vary.
How brain tumors affect your health and nervous system depends on the size, location, and rate of growth of the tumor. You may experience headaches, vision problems, dizziness, seizures, or difficulty walking and maintaining balance.
Brain Tumors Specialist
Brain tumors are abnormal masses of cells in the brain. There are more than 150 types, and not all brain tumors are cancerous. Louis Nkrumah, MD, PhD, at Nkrumah Neurosurgery & Spine in Lake Success, New York, is an experienced neurosurgeon who specializes in diagnosing and treating brain tumors, including glioblastoma and brain metastatic tumors. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today.
What are the types of brain tumors?
There are many types of brain tumors and they may be noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).
Dr. Nkrumah specializes in diagnosing and treating:
Glioblastoma (GBM)
GBM is aggressive and fast-growing. The tumor invades nearby brain tissue, but may not spread to other parts of the body. GBM is the most common type of malignant brain tumor. Though it may occur at any age, it’s more common in older adults.
Brain metastatic tumors
Brain metastatic tumors, also known as secondary brain tumors, occur when cancer cells from other parts of the body spread to the brain.
Any type of cancer can spread to the brain. However, brain metastatic tumors most often develop from cancers that affect the lungs, breast, colon, or kidneys. Melanoma can also cause brain metastatic tumors.
How are brain tumors diagnosed?
Dr. Nkrumah performs a number of exams and tests when he suspects you have a brain tumor. During your visit with the neurosurgeon, he asks detailed questions about your symptoms and medical history.
He performs a neurological exam and imaging tests such as an MRI or CT scan of your brain. Dr. Nkrumah may also perform a biopsy (collect a sample of cells from the tumor) to determine the type of mass and whether it’s benign or malignant.
Dr. Nkrumah uses the information from the biopsy to assess the growth rate of the tumor and how likely it is to spread, which helps direct his treatment plan.
How are brain tumors treated?
Treatment depends on the type, location, size, and symptoms. If you have a small, benign tumor and no symptoms, Dr. Nkrumah may suggest regular imaging tests to monitor the abnormal growth.
For malignant brain tumors, Dr. Nkrumah customizes treatment, which may include surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, plus chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both.
To schedule a consultation with a highly skilled neurosurgeon, call Nkrumah Neurosurgery & Spine or request an appointment online today.
