Brain Tumour: Types, Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment

Brain Tumor: Types, Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment

A brain tumour is a collection of abnormal cells in the brain that go out of control. The skull, enclosing the brain, is a very rigid structure; any growth inside this structure can be life-threatening. Brain tumours can either be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). These tumours can either be primary or secondary. Primary tumours originate from the brain and are mostly benign. Secondary tumours, or metastatic tumours are generally cancer cells that have spread to the brain from various parts of the body.

What are the symptoms of a brain tumour?

Symptoms of a brain tumour can either be general or specific. General symptoms are caused by the pressure of the tumour on the brain or the spinal cord. Specific symptoms are caused when something specific in the brain does not function properly due to the tumour.

General Symptoms

Headaches

Seizures

Single or multiple muscle spasms or twitches

Loss of control of body functions

Memory deficits

Nausea or vomiting

Specific Symptoms

A tumour in the cerebellum can cause loss of balance and difficulty in motor skills

A tumour in occipital lobe can cause loss of vision

A tumour in the brain stem can cause difficulty swallowing, facial weakness or numbness, or double vision

A tumour in the temporal lobe, occipital lobe, or brain stem can cause vision changes, including loss of part of the vision or double vision.

What are the risk factors to a brain tumour?

Exposure to infections, viruses, and allergens.
Ionizing radiation.
Head injury and seizures.
Family history of brain tumours.

What is the best treatment for brain tumours?

While deciding the treatment of a brain tumour, its type, location, and size along with factors like the patients age (child or adult) and general health should be considered. Surgery is the primary option for treating a brain tumour. Some tumours are hard to surgically remove due to their location in the brain. In these cases, chemotherapy or radiation is usually recommended.