A brain tumor is a cluster of abnormal cells that grows out of control in your brain. Some brain tumors are benign, which means the cells aren’t cancer. Others are malignant, meaning they’re cancer.
Brain tumors are called primary tumors if they started in your brain. They’re considered secondary if they started somewhere else in your body and spread to your brain.
Brain Tumor Symptoms
Symptoms of brain tumors vary according to the type of tumor and the location. Because different areas of the brain control different functions of the body, where the tumor lies affects the symptoms you get.
Some tumors have no symptoms until they’re large and then cause a serious, rapid decline in health. Other tumors may have symptoms that develop slowly.
Common symptoms include:
Headaches, which may not get better with the usual headache remedies. You may notice you’re getting them more often or they’re worse than usual.
Seizures, particularly in a person who doesn't have a history of seizures
These symptoms can result from many conditions. Don't assume you have a brain tumor just because you have some of the symptoms. Check with your doctor.
Most of the time, doctors can’t tell what causes a brain tumor. There are only a few known risk factors for brain tumors in adults.
Exposure to radiation. Children who receive radiation to the head have a higher risk of developing a brain tumor as adults.
Family history. Some brain tumors are linked to certain rare genetic conditions such as neurofibromatosis or Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
Age. People between ages 65 and 79 make up the population most likely to be diagnosed with a brain tumor.
No history of chickenpox. One study has found that people who had chickenpox are less likely to get gliomas.
Your doctor will consider several things in deciding how to treat your brain tumor, including:
Location of the tumor
Size of the tumor
Type of tumor
Whether the tumor has spread
Your overall health
Potential complications
Surgery to remove the tumor is typically the first option once a brain tumor has been diagnosed. But some tumors can't be surgically removed because of their location in the brain. In those cases, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be options for killing and shrinking the tumor.
Sometimes you’ll get chemotherapy or radiation after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. Your doctor may treat tumors that are deep in the brain or in areas that are difficult to reach with gamma knife therapy, a form of highly focused radiation therapy.
Because treatment for cancer can damage healthy tissue, you should talk about possible long-term effects of whatever treatment is being used with your doctor. They can explain the risk and the possibility of losing certain faculties. The doctor can also explain the importance of planning for rehabilitation following treatment. Rehabilitation could involve working with several different therapists, such as:
Physical therapists to regain strength and balance
Speech therapists for help with speaking, expressing thoughts, or swallowing
Occupational therapist to help manage daily activities such as using the bathroom, bathing, and dressing
To diagnose a brain tumor, your doctor will start by asking questions about your symptoms, overall health, and family health history. Then they’ll do a physical exam, including a neurological exam. If there's reason to suspect a brain tumor, the doctor may request one or more of the following tests:
Imaging studies like a CT scan or MRI to see detailed images of the brain
Angiogram or MRA, which use dye and X-rays of blood vessels in the brain to look for signs of a tumor or abnormal blood vessels
The doctor may also ask for a biopsy to see if the tumor is cancer. They’ll remove a tissue sample from your brain. They might do it during surgery to remove the tumor. Or they could insert a needle through a small hole drilled into your skull. They’ll send the sample to a lab for testing.
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