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Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. Cancer can grow anywhere in the body and slow normal functions of the body. Doctors use stages to know if and how far the cancer has spread from where it started. Cancer can occur from gene mutations after birth. Also cancer can be caused from smoking, radiation, viruses, cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens), obesity, hormones, chronic inflammation and a lack of exercise.

Common brain stem tumors

The most common form of brain stem tumor is the brainstem glioma. Glioma is a type of tumor that occurs in the brain and spinal cord. Around 75% are diagnosed in children and young adults under the age of twenty, but have been known to affect older adults as well. Brainstem gliomas start in the brain or spinal cord tissue and typically spread throughout the nervous system.  Gliomas make up about 30% of all brain and central nervous system tumors and 80% of all malignant brain tumors. Gliomas are classified by cell type, by grade, and by location. By type of cell Gliomas are named according to the specific type of cell with which they share histological features, but not necessarily from which they originate. Gliomas are further categorized according to their grade, which is determined by pathologic evaluation of the tumor.Gliomas can be classified according to whether they are above or below a membrane in the brain called the tentorium. The tentorium separates the cerebrum (above) from the cerebellum (below).

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of brain stem tumor depends on many factors including where the tumor formed in the brain, the size of the tumor and whether it has spread all through the brain stem, how fast the tumor grows, the person's age and development. Symptoms that a person will experience includes loss of ability to move one side of the face and/or body, loss of balance and trouble walking, vision and hearing problems, morning headache or headache that goes away after vomiting, nausea, Unusual sleepiness, more or less energy than usual, changes in behavior, trouble learning in school.

Diagnosis

A medical history and physical exam. doctors ask individuals about family health history. Also a neurological exams will be performed to test vision, hearing, speech, strength, sensation, balance, coordination, reflexes and the ability to think and remember. Another way to diagnose this type of cancer is by doing MRI or CT scan, which use computers to create detailed images of the brain, are the most common scans used to diagnose brain tumors. Also a biopsy will be required, which is a procedure to remove a small sample of the tumor for examination under a microscope. Depending on the location of the tumor, the biopsy and removal of the tumor may be performed at the same time. If doctors cannot perform a biopsy, they will diagnose the brain tumor and determine a treatment plan based on other test results.

Treatment

Surgery to provide tissue samples to the pathologist, who will then be able to make an accurate diagnosis of the tumor's composition, which is critical to getting the best treatment. Surgery can also allow for the removal of tumor tissue to relieve pressure in the brain caused by the tumor. This often needs to be done on an urgent basis.Radiation therapy is performed after surgery for high-grade gliomas. It is used to treat gliomas in locations where surgery is not safe and for recurrent gliomas. chemotherapy is recommended for some high-grade gliomas after surgery and radiation therapy.

The relationship between cancer and depression

Diagnosis with cancer can have a huge impact on most patients. Changes in body image can affect self-esteem and confidence. People might experience physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, or extreme tiredness ( fatigue) also seem more likely to cause emotional distress. People might also fear death, suffering, pain, or all the unknown things that lie ahead. This is a terrible thing that a person with cancer may experience because it does not make treatments any easier. Also a person family might face challenges with boosting someone confidence that he/she will survive cancer. Regardless a family may be afraid of losing their loved one. They may also feel angry because someone they love has cancer, frustrated that they “can’t do enough,” or stressed because they have to take on more at home.

Brain stem tumor in children

The brain stem is the part of the brain connected to the spinal cord. It is in the lowest part of the brain, just above the back of the neck. The brain stem is the part of the brain that controls breathing, heart rate, and the nerves and muscles used in seeing, hearing, walking, talking, and eating. The brain stem tumor disease starts in children as a non cancer tumor or malignant (cancer). Gliomas is a type of tumor that effect children, which is formed from glial cells. Glial cells in the brain hold nerve cells in place, bring food and oxygen to them, and help protect them from disease, such as infection. Most of the tumors in the stem in the pons, which is part of the stem. studies have shown that brain tumors are the most common type of cancer in children.

Some brain tumors my differ in some ways. The benign brain tumors grow and press on nearby areas of the brain. It rarely into other tissues. On the other hand Malignant brain tumors are likely to grow quickly and spread into other brain tissue. When a tumor grow in an area of the brain, it may stop the part of the brain from working the way it should.