2. Standards
Unit 6: Genetic Variation & Evolution
7b Students know why alleles that are lethal in a homozygous individual may
be carried in a heterozygote and thus maintained in the gene pool.
- People who have/had brain tumor(s), can pass on genetics of them either
from their relatives from generation to generation & when they have
children(s), then could be a possibility they can have brain tumor(s).
Unit 3: Mutations & Biotechnology
4c Students know how mutations in the DNA sequence of a gene may or may
not affect the expression of the gene, or the sequence of amino acids in an
encoded protein.
- .
3. What is a A tumor is an abnormal
growth of body tissue.
tumor ? And also a tumor can be
either not serious or
harmful or cancerous or
deadly.
• Either type may require
therapy to remove it or
reduce its size.
5. • Brain tumor is an
What is a brain tumor abnormal growth
? tissue in the brain.
• The tumor can
either originate in
the brain itself
(primary brain
tumor), or come
from another part
of the body and
travel to the brain
(metastatic or
secondary tumor).
6. First, primary brain
How Does It tumor are those that
start in the brain, or
Happen ? near to the brain. These
can happen in the
skull, in the cranial
nerves, as well as in the
brain
membrane, pituitary
gland and pineal
gland. In primary brain
tumors, there is no
other source of cancer
or tumors within the
rest of the body.
7. Different Types Of Tumors
There are many types of brain tumors. The first way to divide brain
tumors is based on whether they are primary or secondary :
Primary brain tumors are tumors that begin in the brain.
• Primary brain tumors can be divided based on what type of cell the
tumor began. Some primary brain tumor types are
meningioma, ependymoma, pineal tumors, germ cell tumors, etc.
The name of a tumor depends in part on what kind of cell it comes
from. They can also be named for the tumor location within the
brain.
Secondary brain tumors are tumors that started our elsewhere in the
body and spread, or metastasized, to the brain.
• For example, secondary brain tumors could have begun as breast or
lung cancer.
9. Ependymoma
What is ependymoma?
• Ependymoma is a tumor
that arises from the
ependyma, a tissue of the
central nervous system.
The Causes
• There are no known
environmental causes for
ependymomas, but there
have been a number of
mutations in the genes in the
patients that are diagnosed
with the disease.
10. Pinealoma
What is
Pinealoma?
• Pinealoma is a tumor
of the pineal gland.
Symptoms
• Other symptoms
may include
hydrocephalus, gait
disturbances, and
precocious puberty.
11. What are the risks for
having brain tumors?
The risks for having brain tumors are:
• Your age: Your risk of a brain tumor increases as you
age
• Chemical exposure on the job: People working in
certain industries may HAVE an increased risk of brain
tumors, possibly because of the chemicals they're
exposed to on the job.
• Family history: A small portion of brain tumors occur
in people with a family history of brain tumors or a
family history of genetic syndromes.
12. Symptoms The
symptoms
The Symptoms of a of brain
brain tumor are: tumors
• Headaches depend
• Nausea or vomiting
• Problems balancing
on tumor
or walking size, type,
• Problems with and
memory location.
14. References
• Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD &Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor (…2011)
“Brain Cancer causes” http://www.emedicinehealth.com/brain_cancer/page2_em.htm
• James Black (2005-2011) “What are brain tumors” http://www.siweds.com/Basics/whatIs-
tumor.html
• Souhami, et al. Oxford Textbook of Oncology. 2nd edition. 2002. Oxford University
Press, Raghavan, et al. The Textbook of Uncommon Cancers. 3rd edition. 2006. Wiley, Levin.
Cancer in the Nervous System. 2nd edition. 2002. Oxford University Press, Tonn, et al. Neuro-
oncology of CNS tumours. 2006. Springer, De Vita, et al. Cancer: Principles & Practice of
Oncology. 8th edition. 2008. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, Improving Outcomes for People
with Brain and Other CNS Tumours - The Manual. 2006.National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence (NICE). Unknown Author (Nov. 1, 2011) “Ependyoma”
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Brain/Typesofbraintumours/Epen
dymoma.aspx
• Unknown Author (1997-2011) “Brain Cancer”
http://www.providence.org/losangeles/services/cancer/treatment/brain.htm
• Unknown Author (…2011) “Brain Tumor Symptoms”http://www.brain-tumor-symptoms.org/
Unknown Author (1996-2011) “Brain Tumor (cont.)”
http://www.medicinenet.com/brain_tumor/page5.htm
Unknown Author (…2011) “Brain Tumor FAQ” http://www.braintumor.org/patients-family-
friends/about-brain-tumors/brain-tumor-faq.html
