Author
Home > Health > What is the Difference Between Brain Tumor and Brain Cancer?

Guilherme Mazui

•3 minutes to read

What is the Difference Between Brain Tumor and Brain Cancer?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

The main difference between a brain tumor and brain cancer lies in their malignancy. A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in the brain, while brain cancer is a type of brain tumor that is malignant, meaning it can invade surrounding healthy brain structures and spread to other parts of the brain or the body.

Brain tumors can be classified into two categories:

  1. Benign brain tumors: These are noncancerous tumors that typically grow slowly, have distinct borders, and rarely spread.
  2. Malignant brain tumors: These are cancerous tumors that tend to grow rapidly, invade surrounding brain tissue, and can spread throughout the brain or body.

All brain cancers are tumors, but not all brain tumors are cancerous. Brain cancer is more aggressive than benign brain tumors and can lead to more severe symptoms and health risks.

Some common symptoms of brain tumors and brain cancer include headaches, changes in vision, nausea, and vomiting. The severity and type of symptoms depend on the location and size of the tumor, as well as how quickly it is growing. Treatment options for brain tumors and brain cancer vary depending on the type, size, and location of the tumor, as well as the patient's overall health and age.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Brain Tumor and Brain Cancer?
  • Comparative Table: Brain Tumor vs Brain Cancer

    • Comparative Table: Brain Tumor vs Brain Cancer

    The main difference between a brain tumor and brain cancer lies in the tissue of origin and how the conditions develop. Here is a table summarizing the differences between brain tumors and brain cancer:

    Feature Brain Tumors Brain Cancer
    Definition A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in the brain, which can be benign or malignant. Brain cancer refers to cancer that has spread to the brain from another site in the body, like the lung or breast.
    Tissue of Origin Brain tumors are made up of cells that naturally occur within the brain, such as gliomas or vestibular schwannomas. Brain cancer consists of cancer cells from another site in the body that have spread (metastasized) to the brain.
    Types Primary brain tumors, which are named after the type of cell from which they grow. Brain metastases, which are tumors formed from cancer cells that have spread from another site in the body.
    Treatment Treatments for brain tumors may include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, implant therapy (radiation seeds), radiosurgery, and whole brain radiotherapy. Treatment for brain cancer depends on the origin of the cancer and may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of these treatments.

    It is important to consult with a team of specialists to manage the care of patients with brain tumors or brain cancer, as the treatment path may vary depending on the origin of the tumor, its size, location, and the number of tumors.

    Read more:

    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.