Why Are Brain Tumors So Hard to Treat?

When people hear the word "cancer," they often think about finding the location of a tumor and removing it. Surgery, indeed, can help solve many kinds of cancer problems, but in the case of brain tumors, there are a number of problems that complicate the treatment process.

The first one is related to location. The brain controls all of our functions; therefore, even a small tumor can significantly interfere with our ability to speak, move, feel emotions, breathe, etc. Therefore, doctors need to operate very carefully, removing the maximum amount of the tumor without harming the functioning parts of the brain. However, in many cases, such surgery is not an option, as it may be unsafe to attempt removing all cancerous cells.

The second problem is the presence of the blood-brain barrier.

[https://asm.org/articles/2020/april/how-pathogens-penetrate-the-blood-brain-barrier]

It is a special layer of tightly packed blood vessels that form a protection system for the brain from any damaging elements. This layer makes some chemotherapeutic drugs less effective on the brain tumors than they would be elsewhere on the body.

There is no doubt that there is a high variety of brain tumors as well. Currently, doctors know over 100 types of brain tumors, which differ by their properties, the speed of development, and sensitivity to the current treatment used. Different populations of cancer cells within one tumor can be genetically different, which means that while destroying one group, doctors can spare another, which results in the further development of the tumor.

Recurrence is probably the most challenging problem in case of brain tumors. Despite the success of the conducted surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, some cancer cells can survive inside healthy brain tissue and start developing again over time.

For those kids who have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, there is again a dilemma between the need to cure them from cancer and not affecting their brain development. For example, such medical practices as radiation therapy may affect learning, remembering, growth, or hormone production in later years. That is why doctors should carefully choose the treatment tactics to increase its efficiency and decrease side effects as much as possible.

Despite all of this, there is much reason for hope. Medical scientists all over the world are working hard to develop more efficient and precise treatments. For instance, immunology, which helps our immune system recognize and kill cancer cells, has proved its efficiency in some types of cancer treatment.

More on Immunology (PubMed)

Also, gene therapy, targeted medication, imaging technologies, and methods of opening up the blood-brain barrier are under investigation.

More on Gene Therapy

With every discovery, researchers inch closer towards a treatment option that is both safer and more efficient. Ongoing research, clinical tests, and public interest will help develop advances that may eventually benefit those children and adults who suffer from brain tumors.

The difficulty in treating brain tumors necessitates the need to invest in pediatric oncology research. Every single advancement starts from curiosity, teamwork, and the desire to provide all the kids with a chance at better health in the future.

Thank you for reading!

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