The Cold Virus Attacks Brain Tumors | Medical News and Health Information

Reported May 30, 2011
The Cold Virus Attacks Brain Tumors -- Research Summary

WHAT IS A BRAIN TUMOR? A brain tumor is a mass of excess cells that grows in the brain. Tumors can be benign or malignant: benign tumors are not cancerous and are not usually life-threatening, while malignant tumors are cancerous and can be life-threatening. Benign tumors can usually be removed without issue. Primary brain tumors develop in the brain, whereas secondary, or metastatic tumors, originate elsewhere and move to the brain. Symptoms of a brain tumor include frequent headaches, unexplained nausea or vomiting, blurred or double vision, difficulties with balance or speaking, hearing problems and personality changes, among others. (SOURCE: http://www.mayoclinic.com)

TYPES OF BRAIN TUMOR: Primary brain tumors are usually named for the part of the brain or the cells from which they originate. While there are many types of brain tumors, the most common types in adults are:
• Astrocytoma- These tumors originate from star-shaped cells called astrocytes and normally occur in the cerebrum.
• Meningioma- This type of tumor is usually benign and slow-growing and arises in the meninges. It can be any grade.
• Oligodendroglioma- This type of tumor usually occurs in the cerebrum and originates from the fatty cells that cover nerves in the brain. It is most common in middle-aged adults.

Doctors rate tumors by grade, with grade I being the least harmful and grade IV being the most harmful.
• Grade I tumors are benign, and they grow slowly. The cells in a grade I tumor mostly look like normal cells.
• Grade II tumors are malignant. The cells look less normal than those of a grade I tumor.
• Grade III tumors are also malignant and actively growing. The cells of a grade III tumor look very different than normal cells.
• Grade IV tumors are the worst kind. They are malignant, and they tend to grow rapidly, with highly abnormal-looking cells.
(SOURCE: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/brain/page3 )

TREATMENTS: Most brain tumors are treated by surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or some combination of the three. Surgery removes the tumor from the brain and is usually the first treatment option. Radiation uses X-rays, gamma rays or protons to kill tumor cells and generally comes after surgery. Chemotherapy kills the tumor using drugs.

Recent research has looked at using oncolytic viruses to kill brain tumors. Oncolytic viruses are viruses that are specifically programmed to target and kill tumor cells. The virus is injected into the blood stream and is encoded to only kill tumor cells and to only replicate itself if there are tumor cells present. Therefore, when the virus has successfully eradicated the tumor, it stops replicating and dies. (SOURCE: http://www.nbglobe.com) MORE (open here) >> The Cold Virus Attacks Brain Tumors -- In Depth Doctor's Interview | Medical News and Health Information


FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Elizabeth Allen, Media Communications Officer
UT Health Science Center San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
AllenEA@uthscsa.edu

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