1. Brain Tumors Neurons or Glial cells?

2. Neurons Rarely, if ever responsible for tumors –Don’t reproduce

3. Gliomas arise from glial cells Different types of gliomas: –Astrocytic tumors include astrocytomas (less malignant), anaplastic astrocytomas, and glioblastomas (most malignant) –Oligodendroglial tumors vary in malignancy –Glioblastomas are the most aggressive type of primary brain tumor

4. Meningiomas Arise from arachnoidal cells –One of three meniges that compose membrane that covers brain and spinal cord. However, these tumors are mostly (90%) benign

5. Level of severity Tumors are graded on multiple factors: –Growth rate –Blood supply –Malignancy –Border distinctness *The ultimate determining factor in classifying tumors is the cell of highest malignancy, even if the overall composition of the tumor is of lesser malignancy.

6. Diagnosis Balance, vision, hearing, and reflex tests are conducted to help diagnose brain tumors MRI’s used with contrast dye are subsequently performed to find tumors and detect their locations.

7. Treatment Open cranial surgery Radiosurgery –Many beams of targeted radiation focus on the tumor from all different directions (one session limit). Radiotherapy (multi-session) Chemotherapy

8. What causes a tumor? We don’t know yet… But: –5% arise from genetic inheritance (usually extra copies chromosome 7) –Environment also plays a role

9. Bibliography http://www.willamette.edu/~gorr/classes/cs449/figs/neurons.jpg http://www.mayoclinic.org/metastatic-brain-tumors/ http://www.irsa.org/metastatic_tumors.html http://www.irsa.org/astrocytoma.html http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007222.htm http://psychology.about.com/od/biopsychology/f/neuron01.htm http://encefalus.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/neuron_2.jpg http://sakshat.amrita.ac.in/VirtualLab/images/neuron.png http://tuberose.com/Graphics/brain%20tumor.jpeg http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2009/04/neurons1.jpg