Brain cancer is an incredibly severe and life-threatening form of cancer. Brain cancer may come without much warning and develops as a result of the formation of malignant tumors in the brain. In most cases, the usual route of removing a tumor from the brain would be through a surgical operation. There are some circumstances, however, in which a brain tumor cannot be removed. This can prove to be a complicated situation as most brain tumors are required to be removed through a surgical operation. For individuals or family members who are diagnosed with brain cancer and a tumor that cannot be operated upon, there are still various alternative brain cancer treatments to proceed with.
Discovering an Inoperable Tumor
Brain cancer begins with the formation of a tumor in the brain. There are different types of brain tumors you can be diagnosed with. Some tumors are aggressive and have high grades of severity while some are benign tumors and noncancerous. First off, how is brain cancer diagnosed? What leads to the discovery of brain cancer is through observing certain specific signs and symptoms of brain cancer within an individual. If an individual is demonstrating some particular signs and symptoms of brain cancer, it must then be evaluated whether there is indeed a brain tumor present. In order to evaluate the brain tumor, doctors must perform various tests and a list of the patient’s background and medical history in order to discover whether the tumor is cancerous and what the severity degree level of the given brain tumor may be. A patient who is undergoing brain cancer is often handled by a multidisciplinary care team, which will involve a variety of other health care professionals including physician assistants, oncology nurses, counselors, dietitians, rehabilitation specialists, as well as other individuals. Such a care team is helpful in providing special attention to people with a brain tumor and working to speak with individuals outside of the patient’s specific local area to help with diagnosis and treatment planning. Upon discovering a brain tumor in a patient, the doctors will then decide the best option for removing the brain tumor through surgery. Usual treatment options will vary in regard to the tumor itself. The doctors must evaluate certain factors such as the size, type, and severity of the tumor, if there is extra pressure upon parts of the brain because of the tumor, whether the patient develops metastatic tumors in parts of the central nervous system or other areas of the body, what side effects the tumor may have given, and the patient’s overall health. If and when the tumor is found, the usual route for proceeding is for neurosurgeons to perform a surgery in order to remove the tumor that is found in the brain.
Why Makes an Inoperable Tumor, Inoperable?
While surgery is the normal operation for removing brain tumors, there are particular situations in which a tumor is considered inoperable. An inoperable tumor cannot be removed surgically in most situations due to the location within the brain or if multiple tumors are found in a specific region. What surgeons may often fear in regards to an inoperable tumor is that while they may be able to reach the tumor during surgery, they are at risk of damaging the nearby brain tissue in attempts of removing the tumor. Such surrounding brain tissue may pertain to other bodily functions such as speed or movement, and as a result may become impaired. As such, surgeons are often hesitant to operate on malignant tumors that are found as inoperable.1,2,3
Options for an Inoperable Tumor
An inoperable tumor may present a tricky situation as patients and their loved ones are at a crossroads of what to do next. With no opportunity for surgery to remove the tumor, it can be challenging to discover what choices are left. How can they provide a healthy situation when there is no hope of operating on their brain tumor? There are in fact options available for patients who have an inoperable brain tumor.
Alternative Holistic Methods
Alternative methods of treating an inoperable brain cancer tumor include natural and non-invasive procedures. Patients may be wondering where they can seek such help. In these types of situations, patients can seek comfort and assurance from the resources available at the Immunity Therapy Center. Through using the help and guidance offered at the Immunity Therapy Center, individuals with an inoperable tumor may find relief during the difficulties they have been facing with brain cancer. The Immunity Therapy Center provides a variety of holistic and natural ways to treat cancer, which can be very beneficial to those individuals with metastatic brain tumors that cannot be operated upon. The Immunity Therapy Center has trained doctors who understand the sensitive situation of combating brain cancer as well as the circumstance of having a brain tumor that cannot be operated upon. Patients and their loved ones who are diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor are in a sensitive situation. The Immunity Therapy Center continues to maintain a facility of natural and alternative treatments to reduce and impact the tumor without the need for operative surgery. The Immunity Therapy Center provides patients with alternative cancer treatments that are less invasive and would have fewer side effects than would be experienced during a formal operation.
Treating the Emotional Side Effects
The Immunity Therapy Center has various options to choose from for the treatment of an inoperable brain tumor that would not require surgery. Despite the available options, brain tumors still can impact the physical and emotional well-being of both the patient suffering from the brain tumor and their loved ones, nonetheless. There are methods of dealing with the physical, emotional, and social influences that brain cancer can have and is called palliative care or supportive care. In addition to treatment, these forms of care are valuable in helping to treat and reduce the brain cancer tumor. Palliative care is focused on the improvement of how a patient feels during their treatment by controlling symptoms and supporting patients and their family members with other demands that are non-medical. Those individuals who reach palliative care have symptoms that are less severe, maintain a better quality of life, and are more satisfied overall with their treatment.3
Palliative treatments can be different depending upon the situation, but usually involve the use of some type of medication, changes in diet and nutrition, methods of relaxation, support in the form of emotional and spiritual well-being, as well as other therapies. Palliative treatment is aimed at assisting in getting rid of the tumor, similar to how chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy would help.3
At Immunity Therapy Center, we focus on an integrative treatment to make sure we help you through every step of the way, both physically and emotionally. A holistic treatment ensures an individualized treatment that you deserve because your cancer and how your body reacts will be unique to you.
Therapy Through Medication
Systemic therapy is a type of therapy that uses medication in order to kill tumor cells. It’s given through the bloodstream in order to obtain tumor cells throughout the body. The most common methods to give systemic therapies include an intravenous (IV) tube that is administered into a vein using a needle or into a pill or capsule that can be swallowed. The systemic therapies used to fight cancer cells include those of chemotherapy or targeted therapy.3
It’s possible for an individual to receive a single type of therapy or multiple types of systemic therapy at the same time. A treatment plan may be put together to include radiation therapy with or without the inclusion of something further. It is important to discuss the best methods of noninvasive options for treating an inoperable brain tumor with a healthcare provider. A healthcare provider must know all prescription, over-the-counter medications, or supplements that an individual with brain cancer is taking because herbs, supplements, and other drugs have the likeliness of interacting with whatever medications may be offered for a brain tumor.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the genes, tissue environment, or proteins of the tumor- all of which can contribute to a tumor’s growth. This treatment is beneficial in that it blocks the growth and spreading of tumor cells to surrounding tissue and attempts to limit the damage of healthy cells.3 The types of targeted therapy that easily enter the brain and target specific genetic changes to the tumor include Osimertinib, Alectinib, Lapatinib, and Dabrafenib.3
Support for Every Step of the Way
Whatever treatment options that you may decide on for the treatment of your inoperable tumor, know that the Immunity Therapy Center is available for your treatment and support needs.
References:
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Department of Neurosurgery. Inoperable Brain Tumors.
http://www.neurosurgery.wustl.edu/patient-care/specialties/tumors/inoperable-tumors-120 - Davis, Charle Patrick. Brain Cancer. EMedicineHealth.
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/brain_cancer/article_em.htm#brain_cancer_facts - Cancer.Net. Brain Tumor: Types of Treatment.
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/brain-tumor/types-treatment
At Immunity Therapy Center, our goal is to provide objective, updated, and research-based information on all health-related topics. This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles. All information has been fact-checked and reviewed by Dr. Carlos Bautista, a Board Certified Medical Doctor at Immunity Therapy Center. All information published on the site must undergo an extensive review process to ensure accuracy. This article contains trusted sources with all references hyperlinked for the reader's visibility.