What is the difference between benign brain tumors and malignant brain tumors?

Answer 1

Firstly whether it is benign or malignant basically a brain tumour (UK English) or tumor (US English) means an abnormal growth in or on the brain of a person, including all tumours inside the skull or in the central spinal canal. Brain tumours are classed as either primaryor secondary. Either may be benign or malignant. Both benign and malignant brain tumour are created by an abnormal and uncontrolled cell division usually in the brain itself. So looking at the differences:-

1. BENIGN BRAIN TUMOURS are noncancerous being generally low-grade brain tumours that are slow growing and unlikely to spread. They tend to stay in one place and not invade other areas of our brain or spread to other parts of our body. Sometimes, they can be surgically removed and will not come back, causing no further problems. But some grade 2 tumours may grow back. While some brain tumours do not cause any symptoms and are sometimes only discovered by chance most brain tumours cause headaches and seizures.

2. MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMOURS are cancerous and may be either primary or secondary. Most common malignant brain tumours are spread to the brain from tumours outside the brain known as secondary tumours. Primary malignant tumours, or high-grade brain tumours (grade 3 or 4) which start in the brain, are generally fast-growing. These must be treated as soon as possible to prevent them spreading to, and damaging, other parts of your brain and spinal cord. When possible malignant tumours are removed by surgery after opening the skull, but many malignant growths are inaccessible or too extensive for removal

But although brain tumours are not always malignant they are all still serious, principally because of the build up of pressure in the brain and the compression of adjoining brain areas that happen as the tumour expands. Whether it is a maligant or a benign brain tumour, the pressure of the expanding tumour can increase pressure within the skull thereby causing very nasty headaches, vomiting, visual disturbances as well as impairment of mental functioning.

Most brain tumours whether benign or malignant are thought to develop from unusual and random changes in somebody's brain cells, but what causes this to happen is not known. Known factors that have been discovered to increase your risk of developing a brain tumour, include age (the older you are, the more likely you are to get a brain tumour), having an inherited disease such as neurofibromatosis, being exposed to high doses of radiation or having a weakened immune system such as through medication or having HIV/AIDS.

Answer 2

The difference between a malignant tumor and a metastatic tumor is their growth. A malignant tumor, which is cancerous, may continue to grow in one place. A metastatic tumor will spread to other areas.