Brain tumors, or brain tumors, are more or less extensive agglomerates of abnormal cells, located in the brain (hence in a region between the telencephalon, diencephalon, cerebellum and brainstem) or in the spinal cord.
Fruit of genetic mutations of DNA, brain tumors can originate directly in a compartment of the central nervous system (NB: the central nervous system is the brain-spinal cord complex) or may derive from a malignant tumor located in another region of body.
If they originate from a cell of the central nervous system, primary brain tumors or tumors of the central nervous system are also defined; if they are derived from a malignant tumor located elsewhere, they are called secondary brain tumors .
Tumors of the central nervous system can be benign or malignant, while secondary brain tumors have only malignant nature; in fact, the latter are nothing but metastases.
As some may already know, several celebrities have suffered and fought against a brain tumor. Some are still alive, others have survived and then died of other diseases, others have lost their battle against the disease.
But let's see some names, probably the best known:
- Mary Shelley (1798-1851). According to the chronicles of the time, the author of the very famous novel Frankenstein, was cut short by a brain tumor at the age of 53 years.
- Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008). A very famous French designer, he died at the age of 72 due to a glioblastoma. Glioblastomas are highly malignant brain tumors, belonging to the category of gliomas.
- Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011). Known Anglo-American actress, she developed a benign brain tumor for which she needed an operation in 1997. She died of heart problems about 14 years after this surgery.
- Mark Ruffalo (1967-). Famous actor and film producer, in 2002 he developed an acoustic neuroma, a benign brain tumor that affects the 8th cranial nerve. He was successfully operated.
- Lance Armstrong (1971-). A great former US road cyclist, in 1996 he fell ill with testicular cancer, which spread some of his cells in his lungs and brain. After intensive treatment, in 1998, Armstrong was able to say he was cured, so much so that he resumed his sporting activity.
- Georges Simenon (1903-1989). Famous author of crime books (he is the "father" of Maigret), in 1984 he developed a brain tumor, which, despite the little information about it, seems to have been successfully removed. In fact, the writer died of natural causes during sleep.
