Embryonal Tumor โ Symptoms and Causes
Overview
Embryonal tumors are cancerous growths that develop in the brain. They originate from embryonal cells that remain from fetal development.
These malignant tumors can invade healthy brain tissue and spread through the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
While embryonal tumors primarily affect babies and young children, they can occur at any age. The most common type is medulloblastoma, which begins in the cerebellum, located in the lower back portion of the brain.
Signs and Symptoms
An embryonal tumor can lead to a variety of symptoms. These symptoms develop quickly as the tumor presses on surrounding brain tissue or blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. These include:
- Headaches
- Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea)
- Throwing up (vomiting)
- Unusual tiredness
- Seeing double
- Problems with balance
- Seizures
- Trouble walking
- Behavioral or personality changes
- Unexplained weight loss
- Weakness or numbness in parts of the body
When You Should Talk to a Doctor
If you notice any symptoms that concern you, itโs important to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider. Donโt wait if these signs appear, as early medical attention is valuable.
Causes
Embryonal tumors begin with abnormal changes in the DNA of embryonal cells. These cells are remnants from early development that remain in the brain.
When healthy cells grow, they follow specific instructions from their DNA. These instructions control how quickly cells multiply and when they should die. In cancer cells, DNA changes alter these instructions.
The altered DNA makes cells grow too fast and prevents them from dying when they should. This leads to an excess of cells in the brain.
These extra cells often form a mass or tumor. As this tumor grows, it can press against important parts of the brain, causing various symptoms.
Cancer cells may also travel through cerebrospinal fluid, which is the liquid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. This movement allows the cancer to spread to different areas of the brain and spinal cord.
Doctors call it metastatic cancer when cancer spreads from its original location to other parts of the body.
In most cases, doctors cannot identify the exact cause of these DNA changes that lead to embryonal tumors. Research continues to investigate why these changes occur in some people but not others.
Risk Factors
Children are at higher risk for embryonal tumors compared to adults. These cancers can occur at any age, but they appear most commonly in young patients.
Several inherited conditions may increase the chance of developing embryonal tumors. These genetic conditions include:
- Fanconi anemia
- Li-Fraumeni syndrome
- Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome
- Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome
- Turcot syndrome
These family-related syndromes can pass from parents to children and may trigger genetic changes that lead to tumor development.
