What is Chondrosarcoma of the Brain?
Chondrosarcoma of the brain is a type of cancer that occurs at the base of the skull near the area where the pituitary gland of the brain is located and made up of cartilage or cartilage-like cells. It is a very slow-growing tumour and generally does not produce symptoms at the initial stage of the disease. It can be one tumour or several tumours.Disease Causes
There is no well-known cause, however, certain heredity and genetic mutations are considered responsible for the development of chondrosarcoma of the brain.Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of chondrosarcoma of the brain usually depend upon the site and size of the tumour. The common symptoms are- Chronic Headache
- Impaired vision
- Hearing loss
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnosis. These are- Imaging tests such as X-Ray, CT-scan (computerized tomography), PET-scan (Positron emission tomography) help detect the site, size, and location of the tumour.
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Lumbar Puncture
- Tumour biopsy and histopathological examination