Brain Tumour

Benign Brain Tumour (non-cancerous)

A benign (non-cancerous) brain tumour is a mass of cells that grows relatively slowly in the brain. Non-cancerous brain tumours tend to stay in one place and do not spread. It will not usually come back if all of the tumour can be safely removed during surgery.

If the tumour cannot be completely removed, there's a risk it could grow back. In this case it'll be closely monitored using scans or treated with radiotherapy.

Types and grades of non-cancerous brain tumour

There are many different types of non-cancerous brain tumours, which are related to the type of brain cells affected.

Examples include:

• gliomas – tumours of the glial tissue, which hold and support nerve cells and fibres
• meningiomas – tumours of the membranes that cover the brain
• acoustic neuromas – tumours of the acoustic nerve (also known as vestibular schwannomas)
• craniopharyngiomas – tumours near the base of the brain that are most often diagnosed in children, teenagers and young adults
• haemangioblastomas – tumours of the brain's blood vessels
• pituitary adenomas – tumours of the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland on the under surface of the brain

Brain tumours are graded from 1 to 4 according to how fast they grow and spread, and how likely they are to grow back after treatment.

Non-cancerous brain tumours are grades 1 or 2 because they tend to be slow growing and unlikely to spread.

The not cancerous brain tumour can often be successfully treated, but they're still serious and can be life threatening.

Symptoms of non-cancerous brain tumours

The symptoms of a non-cancerous brain tumour depend on how big it is and where it is in the brain. Some slow-growing tumours may not cause any symptoms at first.

Common symptoms include:

• new, persistent headaches
• seizures (epileptic fits)
• feeling sick all the time, being sick, and drowsiness
• mental or behavioural changes, such as changes in personality
• weakness or paralysis, vision problems, or speech problems

Malignant Brain Tumour (brain cancer)

A malignant brain tumour is a cancerous growth in the brain. It's different from a benign brain tumour, which isn't cancerous and tends to grow more slowly.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a brain tumour depend on where it is in the brain.

Common symptoms include:

• headaches (often worse in the morning and when coughing or straining)
• fits (seizures)
• regularly feeling sick (vomiting)
• memory problems or changes in personality
• weakness, vision problems or speech problems that get worse
• See a GP if you have symptoms of a brain tumour that don't go away. It's unlikely to be a tumour, but it's best to be sure.

Types

There are lots of types of brain tumour. They have different names depending on where they are in the brain. They're also given a number from 1 to 4, known as the grade.

The higher the number, the more serious a tumour is:

• grade 1 and 2 brain tumours are non-cancerous (benign) tumours that tend to grow quite slowly
• grade 3 and 4 brain tumours are cancerous (malignant) tumours that grow more quickly and are more difficult to treat

Brain tumours are also called primary (which start in the brain) and secondary (which spread to the brain).

Treatments

Treatment for a brain tumour aims to remove as much of it as possible and try to stop it coming back.

The main treatments are:

• surgery – a small section of skull is removed and the tumour is cut out before the piece of skull is fixed back in place
• radiotherapy – radiation from an external machine is used to kill cancer cells after surgery
• chemotherapy – medicine is used to kill cancer cells after surgery, or relieve symptoms if the tumour can't be removed
• radiosurgery – lots of tiny beams of radiation are aimed at the cancer to kill it if you can't have surgery
• carmustine implants (glial wafers) – a new way of giving chemotherapy for some high-grade tumours, where implants are inserted into the brain
• Medicines may also be used to relieve symptoms like headaches, seizures and being sick (vomiting).

Outlook

The outlook for a malignant brain tumour depends on things like where it is in the brain, its size, and what grade it is. It can sometimes be cured if caught early on, but a brain tumour often comes back and sometimes it isn't possible to remove it.

Recovery and after effects

After treatment, you might have some lasting problems, such as:

• seizures
• walking difficulties
• speech problems

You may need treatment and support like occupational therapy and physiotherapy to help you recover or adapt to any problems.

It's important to follow a healthy lifestyle to lower your risk of stroke. This means stopping smoking if you smoke, following a healthy diet and doing regular exercise.

You may be able to gradually return to your normal activities as you recover, although some things (like contact sports) may need to be avoided for life.

Side effects of treatment

Some people who have had a brain tumour can develop side effects from treatment months or years later, such as:

• cataracts
• epilepsy
• problems with thinking, memory, language or judgement
• very rarely stroke can happen