Cancers of the central nervous system (CNS) strike thousands of people worldwide each year and can be difficult to treat. Tumors, whether cancerous or not, can interfere with normal brain function. Depending on their size and location, brain tumors cause a variety of symptoms, from dizziness and headaches to seizures and paralysis. Human and animal studies are pointing scientists to new clues about how cancers spread through the CNS, and how to combat them.
Brain tumors can be difficult to surgically remove without disturbing brain function. Because the brain is protected from the bloodstream by a biological barrier, chemotherapy drugs have difficulty reaching them. However, researchers are actively searching for new treatments, designing new drugs to breach the blood-brain-barrier and directly target cancerous cells. In addition, information about genes, the environment, and life experiences might offer greater insight into the causes of brain cancer.