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CANCER - The Brain - Signs and Symptoms

Of course, many other things can cause headaches or feelings of sickness, but if you have either of these for a long time and it is getting worse or happening more often, it is important to see your doctor. Even then the chances of it being a brain tumour are very small.

A pressure headache may be most severe in the mornings, and occasionally can wake you. Usually it gets better during the day. It may get worse when you cough, sneeze, bend down or work hard physically. All of these tend to raise pressure in the brain.

Another common symptom caused by brain tumours is epilepsy, which can cause fits, muscle spasms, or moments of unconsciousness. A fit is a frightening experience, but it is not necessarily caused by a brain tumour. However, it is important to seek medical help so that the actual cause can be diagnosed and suitably treated.

Other symptoms connected with raised pressure
The raised pressure inside the skull that can result from the growth of a tumour is called raised intracranial pressure. As well as the symptoms described above, it can also cause the person to be sick (vomiting), upset their vision and make them confused.

If the raised presure causes you to be sick, this may be worse in the morning and lessen during the day (like the headache mentioned above). It may go with hiccoughs and feelings of sickness.

Symptoms connected with the tumour's position
Another group of symptoms is caused by the position of the tumour within the brain. Each area of the brain controls a particular function, and tumour growth may affect a particular part of the brain's ability to work normally.

Some of these symptoms are listed below, grouped under the different parts of the brain. They are included only as a guide -- the exact diagnosis can only be made by a doctor and confirmed by tests.

Frontal lobe tumours: Changes in personality and intellect. Weakness of an area of the face, uncoordinated walk or one sided weakness of the body. Impaired vision, loss of smell.

Parietal lobe: Difficulty in expressing or understanding words and problems with writing or reading.

Occipital lobe: Loss of vision on one side. The person may not notice this at first.

Temporal lobe: Fits may cause strange sensations; a feeling of fear, or intense familiarity (d‚ja vu), strange smells or blackouts.

Cerebellum: Lack of co-ordination of limbs, unsteadiness, involuntary movement of the eyes (nystagmus). Vomiting and neck stiffness.

Brain stem: Unsteadiness and uncoordinated walk. Facial weakness, one sided smile or drooping eyelid. Double vision. Rarely, vomiting or headache just after waking; difficulty in speaking and swallowing. Symptoms may appear gradually.

It is important to note that none of these symptoms necessarily means a brain tumour. They may be caused by other illnesses of the nervous system; so it is important that you see your family doctor who may refer you to a doctor who specialises in diseases of the central nervous system (neurologist or neurosurgeon).