18 October 2008

"It's not a tumor"

Many of us will remember the scene in Kindergarten Cop when detective John Kimble (Arnold Schwarznegger) said he had a headache.

"It might be a tumor," said Lowell, one of the kids.

"It's not a tumor!" said John.

Actually it may have been a tumor, or more correctly a brain tumor, since one of the symptoms is a headache.(1) Other symptoms would be poor balance and coordination, dizziness, double vision, slurred speech (still Arnold?), nausea and vomiting, fever, abnormal pulse, breathing rates, personality changes, numbness and weakness of the limbs (definitely not Arnold), and seizures.(1p518)

What is a brain tumor?

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain that could be malignant or benign, which are both equally serious because the tumor compresses adjacent tissues and causes a build-up of pressure in the skull.(1p518)

Treatment

Treatment for brain turmors, which can include surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, can vary depending on size, location and type of the brain tumor.(1p518)

Reference

1. Tortora, GJ & Derrickson, B. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, 11th ed; 2006. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

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