Inoperable brain cancer is caused by malignant growth in a part of the brain that cannot be safely removed with surgery due to location, spread, or the patient’s overall health. Surgery is often used in conjunction with medication and radiation therapy, but tumors in critical areas of the brain are less likely to be treated with surgery.
Inoperable brain cancer occurs when a malignant growth forms in the brain in such a way that it cannot be safely removed with surgery. In some cases, this is a result of the particular location where the cancer forms. The degree to which brain cancer has spread at the time of detection is also a crucial factor in determining whether or not surgical treatment is a viable medical option. Additionally, the cancer patient’s overall health may determine whether or not surgery is practical.
Surgery is a favorite treatment for many types of cancer. Especially when used in conjunction with medication and/or radiation therapy, surgery can often dramatically improve a patient’s prognosis. Tumors that occur in the brain are often more difficult to treat with surgery, simply because brain functions are both delicate and critical.
Malignant tumors can form in many different regions of the brain and its supporting structures. Tumors that form in peripheral areas of the brain, such as near the nerves that carry sensory input into the brain, are more likely to be good candidates for surgical treatment. Tumors that grow in areas of the brain responsible for essential motor functions or that are deep within the structure of the brain are less good candidates for surgery.
In some cases, even a tumor that spreads very slowly can be classified as malignant if it forms in a particularly sensitive or critical part of the brain. Any tumor found in such a part of the brain is likely a form of inoperable brain cancer. However, not all of these tumors are immediately life-threatening, despite the fact that they are not treatable with surgery.
A second case in which a tumor may be considered inoperable brain cancer depends on the degree to which the tumor has spread within the brain. A tumor with a clear border is generally a much better candidate for surgery than a tumor that has spread tendrils of tissue widely throughout the brain. Such a tumor is a poor candidate for surgical removal both because surgery is unlikely to remove all malignant tissue and because operating on such a widespread mass of cells could require excision of a large amount of brain tissue, with dangerous results.
Inoperable brain cancer can also be the result of a patient’s overall poor health. A patient who is frail, has a compromised immune system, or suffers from other ailments is less likely to survive the stress placed on the body by surgery. In such a case, a tumor may be considered an inoperable form of brain cancer even though it could be surgically treated in a healthier patient.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
