The brain is a mass of delicate tissue that is completely enclosed by a rigid skull. The brain and spinal cord together are called the central nervous system.
Tumors are more common in the brain than in the spinal cord.
Brain tumors can be extremely serious, even when noncancerous. A non-malignant brain tumor can do damage as it grows bigger within the rigid skull and starts pressing on the brain. Headaches are the most common symptom of a brain tumor and are especially of concern when they increase in number and severity. Other symptoms may include seizures, nausea, blurred vision, sleepiness, mental impairment, personality changes, weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking and loss of hearing in one ear. Surgery is the most common treatment for brain tumors.