Brain tumours

Brain tumours  Illnesses & conditions | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Cancer Cancer types in adults Brain tumours Brain tumours A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiplies in an abnormal, uncontrollable way. It can either be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Brain tumours are graded from 1 to 4 according to their behaviour, such as how fast they grow and how likely they are togrow back after treatment. benign brain tumours arelow grade (grade 1 or 2), which means they grow slowlyand are less likely to return after treatment malignant brain tumours arehigh grade (grade 3 or 4) and either start in the brain (primary tumours) or spread into the brain from elsewhere (secondary tumours); theyre more likely to grow back after treatment This page gives general information relevant to both types of brain tumour. Symptoms of a brain tumour The symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on the exact part of the brain thats affected. Common symptoms include: severe, persistent headaches seizures (fits) persistent nausea, vomiting and drowsiness mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality progressive weakness orparalysis on one side of the body, vision problems, or speech problems Sometimes, you may not have any symptoms to begin with, or they may only develop very slowly over time. When to speak to your GP Speak to your GP if youhave persistent symptoms of a brain tumour. While its unlikely to be a tumour, its best to be sure by getting a proper diagnosis. If your GP is unable to identify a more likely cause of your symptoms, they may refer you to a neurologist for further assessment and tests, such as a brain scan. Who is affected Brain tumours can affect people of any age, including children, although they tend to be more common in older adults. More than 9,000 people are diagnosed with primarybrain tumours in the UK each year, ofwhich about halfare benign and half are malignant. Many othersare diagnosedwith secondary brain tumours. The exact reason why some people develop primary brain tumours is unknown,but its thought that certain genetic conditions  such asneurofibromatosis type 1and tuberous sclerosis  and previous radiotherapy to the head increaseyour risk. Treatment and outlook The main treatment for most brain tumours is surgery, which aims to remove as much of the abnormal tissue as possible. Its not always possible to remove the entire tumour, so further treatment with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy may be necessary to kill any abnormal cells left behind. For most benign tumours, treatment is oftensuccessful and a full recovery is possible, although theres sometimes a small chance the tumour could come back.Regular follow-up appointments will normally be recommended to monitor this. The outlook for malignant tumours is generally less good, although this varies depending on things such aswhere the tumour is in the brain, your age, and your general health. Unfortunately,a cure is often not possible and most tumours will return after treatment. If a tumour does come back, treatmentwill aim to relieve your symptoms and prolong life by controlling the growth of the tumour. Support and further information As well as reading the separate pages onbenign brain tumoursand malignant brain tumours, you may find the following websites useful sources of information and support: The Brain Tumour Charity Brain Tumour Research Cancer Research UK: Brain tumours Macmillan Cancer Support: Brain tumours