BRAIN TUMOR

Basics ..
What is Primary Brain
Tumor ?.
Initiating care plan for
Primary Brain Tumor
patient .
Tumor ? benign or
malignant !
 Def :The formation and growth of abnormal cells that
have no function and not needed .
So its without definite cause , function , limit , control

 Generally the causes of tumor classifies to :

 Environmental
 Inheritance
 Life stile
 Tumor ? benign or
malignant !

Tumor

Malignant Benign
Evil – rabid growth kind – slow growth
Invade healthy nearby tissue. does not spread.
Tumor ? benign or
malignant !
 Benign tumor will continue to grow
if it doesn't get treated .
And more pressure will be apply on
organs .
 Metastasis : it’s the process in

which malignant tumor spread

inside human body via blood or
lymph .
Brain Tumor
Brain tumor is a mass of
unnecessary cells growing in the
brain .
So it will form localized intracranial
lesion that occupies space within
the skull .
And there is the Primary and
Secondary type .
Brain Tumor
 - Primary Brain Tumor : which start
forming in the brain or close to it , such
as brain membranes , cranial nerves
and glands . benign – malignant
 - Secondary Brain Tumor : its origin
or center in somewhere else , and
spread (metastasizes ) to the brain and
growth to form a lesion . malignant
Primary Brain Tumor
 The cause of it still mystery except
one risk factor which is exposure
to Ionizing Radiation. Also some
specific genetic diseases –
neurofibromatosis type 2 .
 Hint : primary brain tumor almost
never spread to other parts of the
body
Primary Brain Tumor
 Clinical manifestation :
Just as we are a unique individuals, each
brain tumor is unique. Think of the
brain as the computer center for your
body; each part of the brain controls a
different function of your body.
Symptoms depend on where within the
brain the tumor is located.
 Primary Brain Tumor
 But here are the most
common symptoms and signs :
•Headache : common and sever in the morning ,
and gradually getting moderate to mild during the
day.
•Vomiting : seldom related to food intake , is
usually related to irritation of vagal centers in the
medulla .
•New onset seizures : may be the initial sign of
brain tumor in some patient , and about the half
of patient have seizure activity during their
illness .
Primary Brain Tumor
 A mass effect : caused from IICP.

 Visual disturbance .

 Localized symptoms .
Nursing management :
Nursing process
 Assessment :
 base line neurologic examination .
 address symptoms that distress
the patient .
 nutritional status .
 assess the impact of the illness on
the family.
Diagnosis :
 Self care deficit related to loss or impairment of
motor and sensory function and decrease
cognitive ability .
 Imbalanced nutrition – less than body
requirement – related to cachexia due to
treatment and tumor effect , decreased
nutritional intake , and malabsorption.
 Anxiety related to fear of dying , uncertainty ,
change in appearance , altered life style .
Diagnosis :
 Pain related to tumor compression .
 Impaired gas exchange related to dyspnea

 Sleep pattern disturbance related to

discomfort and fear of dying

 Decrease mobility related to fever and

motor\sensory function decrease

See text book P : 1976 ^_^
Also chapter 16 .
Goals:
 compensating for self care deficit.

 improving nutrition .

 reducing anxiety .
 Intervention :
 compensating for self care deficit:
•encourage the family to keep the patient
independent as possible for as long as
possible .
•help patients to maintain some
sense of control

•participate the patient in

individualized exercise program
 Intervention :
improving nutrition :
 give meals in times that patient in less
distress from pain or other effect of treatment.
•Administer prescribed antiemetics ,
sedative
•Suggest food that are preferred and
well tolerated by the patient .
•Suggest smaller , more frequent meals .

•Provide pain relief measures.

 Intervention :
 Relieving anxiety :
•Asses the need of spiritual counseling and
refer as appropriate .

•Allow the patient and family to express anxiety

and fear

•Encourage active participation in a

communication group with same interest.
Outcomes :
 engages in self care activities as
long as possible.

 Maintain as optimal a nutritional

statues as possible

 Report being less anxious.

Thank you for your attention
and I hope that you learn new
things ^_^
Reference
1-TEXT BOOK OF MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING .
Brunner and Suddarths 10th edition .

2-American Brain Tumor Association.

http://www.abta.org/index.cfm?contentid=13

3-mayoclinic.com
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/brain-
tumor/DS00281

4- nursingcenter.com
http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=686821
PDF version – responding to primary brain tumor.
BY : RACHEL L .PALMEIRI