Brain tumors, a health problem, unfortunately, occurring more and more frequently, can be easily diagnosed early thanks to developments in technology and the experience of physicians. However, since the symptoms of brain tumors can go undetected due to a lack of social awareness and widespread fear of going to hospitals during the pandemic, there is a strong possibility of tumors going untreated until their advanced stages.

"In our country, approximately 17,000 people are diagnosed with new brain tumors every year. It is vital not to ignore the complaints and to consult a physician immediately, as possible delays in treatment of patients with neurological signs and symptoms ... can lead to very serious consequences," Acıbadem Maslak Hospital brain and nerve surgery specialist Dr. Gökhan Bozkurt said.

Bozkurt explained 10 important symptoms of brain tumors that should never be ignored and offered important warnings and suggestions.

COVID-19 causes many neurological problems such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty concentrating, insomnia and changes in consciousness levels. Bozkurt stated that more than a third of COVID-19 patients have had neurological side effects and symptoms since the beginning of the epidemic.

"It is very important that patients admitted to the hospital with mild neurological signs and symptoms are evaluated carefully and without ignoring that these complaints may also be associated with a brain tumor."

Clinical and experimental studies – which are being increasingly conducted nowadays – on brain tumors show that some miscoded genes and proteins play an active role in the development of tumors.

"Some factors such as radiation and carcinogenic chemicals also facilitate the formation of brain tumors. In addition, it is observed that there is a familial tendency in the formation of some brain tumors," Bozkurt said.

Different, new treatments

Bozkurt stated that in recent years, thanks to the experience of physicians and new medical technologies in the field of neurosurgery in our country, extremely important developments have been achieved in diagnosis and treatment.

"Especially, the increase in knowledge about the pathways used during the formation of brain tumors, the knowledge of key genes and proteins that are active there, and the use of some biomarkers that reveal molecular changes have led to very important developments in the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors," he said.

"In this context, the development of targeted smart drugs that only affect the harmful tissue of tumors without harming the normal tissue has been achieved. In patients with a preliminary diagnosis of brain tumor, whether the tumor is benign or malignant, radiologically, priority treatment needs to be determined. Today, surgical treatment is the preferred approach in the treatment of brain tumors, whether benign or malignant. Especially with the complete or nearly complete removal of these tumors, a long and healthy life is possible for our patients."

Smart drugs

Bozkurt stated that the determining factors in the surgical treatment of brain tumors are the tumor's type and its benign-malignant appearance, location, size, age of the patient, general condition and performance of the patient, neurological status of the patient, life-threatening condition of the tumor and whether there are other systemic problems that may affect the operation decision of the patient.

"In some of the benign tumors, and in almost all of the malignant tumors, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are given in addition to the surgical treatment, unless there is a special reason. In addition, we are very happy with the results of local radiotherapy applications after surgical treatment in some of the benign tumors and in all of the malignant tumors," Bozkurt noted.

"In addition, with the new methods applied to the tumor area after surgical treatment, side effects are reduced and the efficacy of the treatment is increased significantly. Targeted smart drugs developed in the field of oncology in recent years have led to new hope in the treatment of brain tumors.

"The negative results created by chemotherapy drugs, which were used until very recently but were not very useful in the treatment of brain tumors, has now been eliminated with targeted smart drugs, and at the same time, smart drugs have increased the chances of success of surgery and postoperative radiotherapy."

Bozkurt listed the symptoms of brain tumors as headache, nausea or vomiting accompanying the headache, loss of consciousness and disturbances in the level of consciousness, having a seizure (episode) that has never happened before, loss of sensation or strength in a part of the body, drowsiness, short-term vision loss, double vision or hearing loss, memory and behavioral disorders and speech disorders.