In simple terms, brain cancer can be defined as an uncontrolled or abnormal growth of cells, which over a period of time, form into a lump in or around the brain. This tumor in brain or brain tumor, results in an intense degree of pain and suffering in its patients. Basically, there are two types of brain cancer: Primary and secondary. Brain cancers have a high potential of turning fatal. Among the most deadly form of brain cancer is glioblastoma multiforme as it is incurable. Brain cancer symptoms often resemble signs displayed in other common diseases and therefore are very evasive and confusing to detect. This is simply because a wide range of problems like headaches, seizures, abnormal vision, vomiting, neck pains and even stomach problems are potential brain tumor symptoms. This may be a prime reason as to why some experts do not agree towards a common list of symptoms of this disease.

It is also important to remember that not all brain tumors cause symptoms. Sometimes, tumors (an abnormal mass of tissue) from other parts of the body infect the brain, while there are tumors which form inside the brain itself. Brain cancer is a degenerative disease and requires repetitive and aggressive treatment such as surgery. Modern science has also made considerable progress in development of medications, methods, and diagnosis for brain cancer. As of now, surgery is sought after as the major cure for brain cancer. Researchers and scientists have made good progress in developing various medications and tools for treatment of this deadly disease. A brain tumor relates to all types of tumors in and around the brain.

There are two types of brain cancer : Primary brain cancer and Secondary brain cancer. Primary brain cancer is limited to the central nervous system; it rarely spreads outside the brain. A person affected thus can die from the uncontrolled growth of a tumor in brain. These types of tumors can be both cancerous as well as noncancerous and can cause serious complications or even severe symptoms like loss of hearing or vision. Secondary brain cancer is caused by cancerous cells from tumors that reside in other parts of the body. These cancerous cells spread to the brain through a process called metastasis. A classic example of brain cancer spreading to the brain from another site in the body is prostate cancer. This type of cancer spreads through formation of secondary tumors in the liver, from there to the lungs, then to the hips and finally – to the brain. Research shows that about twenty five percent of tumors in our body find their way into the brain, causing brain tumor in the process. Among cure for brain cancer options, the treatments may include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Majority of the patients suffering from brain cancer are advised first and foremost to undergo surgery, as surgical intervention is considered to be safer than the other forms of invasive treatments. Radiation involves use of high-energy rays that destroy cancerous cells in the tumor. This prevents tumors from multiplying further and thus putting a stop to its further growth. Treatments involving chemotherapy are carried out by introducing toxic substances that attack cancerous cell formations. A single drug or a mixture of different drugs are administered orally or injected into the body, depending on the type and severity of the disease. People with brain cancer symptoms often suffer physically and psychologically and as such are deprived of a normal quality of life. But a proper line of treatment can help in reducing the miseries faced by the patients as well as the families of those affected.

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A team of researchers led by Jean-Nicolas Cornu, MD, of Tenon Hospital, trained a Belgian Malinois to detect urine of patients suffering from prostrate cancer, and then distinguish between samples of patients who had cancer and those who did not.

For those who do not know, Belgian Malinois is a dog of shepherd breed that is commonly used to identify bombs or drugs.

<strong>Dog did not miss single cancerous sample</strong>

After a year of training, the dog was put through a test. It was given six samples of urine out of which only one had prostrate cancer.

The process was repeated 11 times, making the total number of samples that the dog had to go through 66. Out of these 66 samples, the dog correctly identified 63 samples, and got only 3 wrong.

It is important to note here that the dog did not miss a single sample of urine which came from a patient with prostrate cancer. It simply mistook 3 healthy samples for cancerous ones.

Surprisingly, one of the healthy samples actually turned out to be cancerous when it was tested later with a biopsy.

<strong>More effective than any other test equipment</strong>

The findings clearly showed that dogs were more effective at detecting prostrate cancer than any man-made equipment. The low false-positive rate “is pretty spectacular,” Smith says.

But before you begin imagining that clinics will now use dogs to test for prostrate cancer, remember that the entire process of training and keeping a dog is prohibitively expensive.

What researchers aim to do is to identify the chemical that the dog is sensing and to then develop some kind of equipment which can identify this chemical compound.

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