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Brain Tumor Headaches: Signs, Symptoms, And More
Although headaches are a common symptom of brain tumors, the vast majority of headaches have other causes.
Most headaches do not indicate a brain tumor. Experiencing a headache from time to time is rarely a medical emergency. However, a brain tumor can lead to severe and persistent headaches.
This article discusses the difference between regular headaches and those due to brain tumors. It also covers other signs of brain tumors and when to see a doctor.
About 50% of people with a brain tumor experience headaches, according to the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
However, brain tumors cause a specific type of headache that is different than migraine or tension-type headaches.
Headaches due to a brain tumor generally have the following characteristics:
It is important to keep in mind that other conditions and factors can lead to headaches with similar characteristics. According to a 2022 study, only 1.5% of people with persistent headaches showed a brain tumor on an MRI.
Brain tumors cause other symptoms in addition to headaches, including:
A tumor occurs when the DNA of a healthy cell changes or mutates in a way that allows the cell to grow rapidly. A brain tumor refers to a mass of abnormal cells that can develop in different areas of the brain.
Most brain tumors form without a known cause. However, certain changes in a cell's DNA affect the genes that control cellular growth and division.
A person can inherit gene changes that lead to cancer. Genetic changes can also result from long-term exposure to substances that damage DNA, such as tobacco smoke and radiation.
A brain tumor may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Both types of brain tumors may increase the pressure inside the skull, causing headaches, fatigue, and even coma. Without treatment, a brain tumor can lead to long-lasting brain damage.
Although headaches are a common symptom of a brain tumor, few headaches indicate cancer.
A person who has frequent or severe headaches may have a headache disorder, such as migraine or tension headaches.
Migraine
Migraine is a condition that researchers predict affects about 12% of people around the world.
Migraine episodes have a range of possible symptoms that can last anywhere from 4 hours to 2 days. These include:
About one-third of people with migraine experience episodes with an "aura." An aura refers to visual, physical, or speech disturbances that occur before the onset of a migraine episode. Examples of these symptoms include:
Tension headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache. These headaches generally cause mild to moderate pain behind the eyes, around the head, or in the neck.
Tension headaches result from muscle contractions in the head and neck. Factors that can trigger muscle contractions in these areas include:
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are severe, recurring headaches that cause a burning or stabbing pain around one eye.
Other symptoms of a cluster headache include:
Headaches occur in daily clusters that can last anywhere from a few days to more than a year. The cause of cluster headaches remains unknown.
Headache and migraine resourcesTo discover more evidence-based information and resources for headaches and migraine, visit our dedicated hub.
A person should see their healthcare professional if they have frequent or severe headaches that affect their daily lives or if they notice changes in the pattern or intensity of their headaches.
People should seek immediate medical attention if they experience:
A healthcare professional can help diagnose the underlying cause of severe headaches. They will review a person's medical history and current symptoms.
In some cases, they may order CT or MRI scans of the person's brain, as well as checking their vision, hearing, and balance.
If a healthcare professional finds a tumor in the brain or spinal cord, they will collect a tissue sample and send it to a laboratory for analysis. Here, lab technicians will perform tests to determine the type and origin of the tumor.
The healthcare professional will use this information to recommend the best treatment options.
Cancer resourcesTo discover more evidence-based information and resources for cancer, visit our dedicated hub.
A brain tumor increases the pressure inside the skull, which can lead to inflammation and tissue damage. Severe, persistent headaches are a common symptom of brain tumors. Most headaches, however, are not a sign of a tumor or cancer.
People who notice changes in the frequency or intensity of their headaches may wish to consult a doctor.
Paying attention to other symptoms, such as mood, vision, and energy levels, can help doctors identify the underlying cause.
Meningioma Brain Tumor
A meningioma is a tumor that forms on the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord just inside the skull. These membranes are called the meninges and consist of three layers. Specifically, the tumor can form on any of these three layers. These tumors are often slow-growing. Around 80% are benign (not cancerous).
Meningioma is the most common type of head tumor. Slow growing and many times benign, it may take years for you to recognize any symptoms of meningioma. (Photo Credit: ZEPHYR/Science Source)
Most meningiomas occur in the brain. But they can also grow on parts of the spinal cord.
Often, meningiomas cause no symptoms and require no immediate treatment. But the growth of benign meningiomas can cause serious problems. In some cases, such growth can be fatal.
Meningiomas are the most common type of tumor that originates in the central nervous system. They occur more often in women than in men.
Meningiomas are classified by location and severity.
Grade 1 meningiomas
These are the most common type of meningioma. About 80% of grade 1 tumors are benign (not cancerous). They grow slowly and have defined borders.
Grade 2 atypical meningiomas
About 15%-20% of meningiomas are classified as atypical. These are considered neither benign nor malignant (cancerous), but they may become malignant. These tend to return and grow quickly when they do.
Grade 3 anaplastic meningiomas
A small number, about 1%-4% of meningiomas are cancerous. They tend to grow quickly, spreading to parts of the brain closest to the tumor. They can also spread to other parts of the brain and beyond, often to the lungs.
Researchers are unsure what exactly causes meningioma, but cancers generally result from changes in our genes. Researchers have found an abnormality on chromosome 22, which works to keep tumors from growing, in about 40%-80% of meningiomas. Radiation exposure, particularly as a child, may increase your risk of developing a meningioma. People with neurofibromatosis type 2, a genetic condition, are also at a higher risk for meningioma.
Potential risk factors for meningioma include:
Gender. Meningiomas are more common in women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB), and middle-aged women are more than twice as likely as men to develop a meningioma. It's thought this risk factor may be due to female hormones. Most meningiomas occur between the ages of 30 and 70. They are very rare in children.
Hormone replacement therapy. The hormones estrogen, progesterone, and androgen are believed to play a role in meningioma. Meningioma cell surfaces have receptors for estrogen, progesterone, or both. Meningiomas grow more rapidly in pregnancy when the body naturally creates more of these hormones. Because the body receives a boost of hormones during hormone replacement therapy, it's thought that it may also play a role in the growth of meningiomas.
Radiation exposure. Research has indicated that radiation exposure, particularly to the head and neck, increases the risk of meningiomas and other brain tumors.
Use of oral contraceptive pills. Like hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives raise hormone levels and may increase your risk for meningioma.
Breast cancer diagnosis. A direct link between breast cancer and meningioma hasn't been determined. But the two conditions share some of the same risk factors such as age, gender, and hormones.
Head injury. Previous head injury may also be a risk factor, but a recent study failed to confirm this. Meningiomas have been found in places where skull fractures have occurred. They've also been found in places where the surrounding membrane has been scarred.
Age. Meningiomas are more common in people over the age of 65.
Race. Black people have a higher risk for meningioma.
Obesity. The link between meningiomas and obesity is unclear, but obesity is a risk factor for multiple cancers, and some research has shown that meningiomas occur more frequently in people with obesity.
Genetic conditions. People with the genetic condition neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) have around a 50% chance of developing meningioma. Other genetic diseases carrying an increased risk of meningioma include Cowden syndrome, Werner syndrome, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, and basal cell carcinoma syndrome (Gorlin syndrome).
Other potential risk factors. In addition, long-term use of cell phones, epilepsy, smoking, and ongoing exposure to lead may be associated with meningiomas.
Most meningiomas grow very slowly, so their symptoms often develop gradually, if they develop at all. Symptoms also depend on where in your brain the meningioma is located. The most common symptoms include:
Meningiomas are rarely diagnosed before they begin to cause symptoms.
If symptoms indicate the possibility of a tumor, a doctor may order a brain scan: an MRI and/or a CT scan. These will allow the doctor to locate the meningioma and figure out its size.
A biopsy may sometimes be performed. A surgeon removes part or all of the tumor to check whether it is benign or malignant.
Meningioma treatment depends on multiple factors such as the tumor's size and growth rate as well as your health, age, and treatment preferences. Options include:
Wait and watch
If the tumor is not causing any symptoms, observation is often recommended. Regular brain scans will be performed to check if the tumor is growing. If your tumor's growth threatens to cause problems or if symptoms begin to develop, surgery may be necessary, particularly if:
Meningioma surgery
If surgery is required, a craniotomy will typically be performed. This involves removing a piece of bone from the skull. This gives the surgeon access to the affected portion of your brain. The surgeon then removes the tumor — or as much of it as possible. The bone that was removed at the start of the procedure is replaced.
Any post-surgery treatment you may need depends on whether:
Depending on where in the brain your tumor is located, surgery may involve some significant risks that you should discuss with your doctor.
Radiation therapy
The location of the meningioma will decide how accessible it is to the surgeon. If it can't be reached via surgery, radiation therapy may be used. Radiation can shrink the tumor or help prevent it from growing any larger. Radiation can also be used to kill cancer cells if the tumor is malignant. It may also be used on the parts of a tumor the surgeon was unable to remove.
Chemotherapy
Doctors rarely use chemotherapy to treat meningiomas because there isn't a standard treatment for doing so. However, it may be used at times when surgery or radiation hasn't been effective.
Survival rates for cancers such as meningioma depend on multiple factors. The overall survival rates by age for meningioma are as follows:
An analysis of more than 60,000 patients found that survival rates worsen depending on where the meningioma is located, whether the meningioma is cancerous or larger in size, and if a patient is older or has other chronic health conditions. Also, uninsured people usually have worse outcomes.
The lower the grade of your tumor, the more likely that surgery combined with radiation will improve your prognosis. Surgical removal of all of the tumor and affected areas is associated with a lower rate of recurrence as well. Recently, the 10-year survival rate for those with cancerous meningiomas has improved because of new treatment options.
Meningiomas usually grow slowly, so you may not notice any symptoms at first. But as they begin to increase in size and impact the brain areas surrounding them, you may begin to feel symptoms that depend on where your meningioma is located. These symptoms may include:
More commonly, you might have:
Postsurgical complications can include:
A meningioma is a tumor that grows on the membranes just inside your skull that cover the brain and spinal cord, known as the meninges. Meningiomas usually grow slowly, sometimes developing for years before you feel any symptoms. Around 80% of meningiomas are noncancerous (benign), but they can cause changes to your senses, memory, and neurological functions. See your doctor immediately if you have a sudden onset of symptoms such as seizures, vision changes, or memory loss.
What is meningioma cancer?
Meningioma is a type of tumor that grows on the membranes between the skull and the brain and spinal cord. Technically, they are not tumors in your brain, but their growth can press against nearby brain tissue, nerves, and blood vessels, causing symptoms. Meningioma is the most common head tumor. Around 80% of meningiomas are not cancerous.
What size meningioma needs to be removed?
Because meningiomas are typically slow-growing, several factors decide whether one should be surgically removed. These factors include the tumor's size and rate of growth, the patient's age and health, and whether the tumor is causing neurological problems.
What is the life expectancy after meningioma surgery?
Outcomes depend on whether the meningioma is malignant (cancerous) or benign and whether surgery succeeds in removing all of the tumor. The overall survival rate by age for meningioma is 84% for people aged 20-44, 79% for those aged 45-54, and 74% for those between the ages of 55 and 64.
Can an MRI tell if a meningioma is benign?
Researchers have found that brain imaging tests such as MRI and CT scans can help detect the difference between a cancerous or benign meningioma. However, surgical biopsy will give the most definitive answer.
Can you die from a benign meningioma?
People who have benign meningiomas are more likely to die from other health conditions such as heart and cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia. Fewer than 9% of people died from benign meningiomas in one population-based study.
How to prevent meningioma
Doctors aren't sure what causes meningiomas, but it's believed that many or most are genetic in origin and some may be related to hormones or particular environmental factors. Meningioma is more common in people over 65, women and people AFAB, Black people, and people who've been exposed to radiation of the head. Having a sibling or parent diagnosed with meningioma or having certain genetic conditions can also raise your risk.
Brain Tumors
A brain tumor (also called an intracranial tumor) is a cluster of abnormal cells that grows in or around your brain. There are over a hundred types of tumors that develop in the human brain.
A brain tumor is a cluster of abnormal cells that grow in or around your brain. (Photo Credit: Science Photo Library/Getty Images)
Most brain tumors are benign, which means they grow slowly, have clearly defined borders, and are less likely than malignant tumors to invade surrounding tissues or other parts of your body. Benign tumors may not cause any symptoms or long-term problems unless they grow large enough to press on other areas of your brain.
About a third of brain tumors are malignant, which means they:
Read on to learn more about the different types of brain tumors.
Brain tumors develop because the DNA in the cells that make up the tumor has been damaged in such a way that the cells no longer function in the way they're supposed to. But experts don't know exactly how this happens. When the DNA is damaged in this way, the abnormal cells multiply and grow faster than your normal cells, which forms the tumor.
Usually, environmental exposure adds to the DNA damage. Sometimes, people are born with DNA damage and they get tumors at a very young age.
Most of the time, doctors can't tell what causes a brain tumor. There are only a few known risk factors for brain tumors in adults.
Benign brain tumors generally grow more slowly than malignant brain tumors and don't tend to spread to surrounding tissues. But these can still be serious and even life-threatening, depending on:
Benign brain tumors usually have clearly defined borders and aren't deep-rooted in your brain. This makes them easier to remove with surgery if they're in an area of the brain where it's safe to operate. Some brain tumors can come back after they're removed. But benign tumors are less likely to come back than malignant ones.
Malignant primary brain tumors are malignant tumors that start in the cells of your brain. These typically grow faster than benign tumors and may quickly invade surrounding tissue. Although brain cancer rarely spreads to other organs, it can spread to other parts of your brain and central nervous system.
Secondary brain tumors are malignant tumors that started in other cells of your body. They come from cancer that started somewhere and spread (metastasized) to your brain. About 1 in 4 people with cancer develop a secondary brain tumor.
Cancers that are most likely to metastasize to your brain include:
Experts have classified over 150 types of brain tumors. Primary brain tumors are named for the kind of cell in which they start in your central nervous system. Your central nervous system is made up of your brain and spinal cord.
Benign brain tumor types
Examples of benign brain tumors include:
Meningiomas
About 10%-15% of all brain tumors are meningiomas (pronounced muh-nih-jee-ow-muhs). These are the most common benign brain tumors, although a small percentage are malignant. These tumors start in your meninges, which are the tissues that cover and protect your brain and spinal cord. As meningiomas grow, they can put pressure on your brain tissues, cranial nerves, and blood vessels. In some cases, they grow into the bones of your head and face, which my change the shape of your skull and face.
Schwannomas
These may also be called vestibular schwannomas (pronounced shwuh-now-muhs), neurilemmomas (pronounced nyoor-uh-lem-oh-muhs), or acoustic neuromas (pronounced nr-ow-muhs). Schwannomas are common benign tumors in adults. They start in the cells that line your nerves and provide insulation for the electrical impulses that move between your nerve cells. They can start around any cranial or spinal nerve, but they most often start around the eighth cranial nerve, or the vestibulocochlear (pronounced vuh-sti-byoo-low-kow-klee-ur) nerve. This is the nerve that connects your ear and brain. They can cause complications if they grow and put pressure on your nerves and brain.
Pituitary adenomas
About 13% of all brain tumors are pituitary (pronounced puh-too-uh-teh-ree) tumors. They start in your pituitary gland, which is deep inside your brain. Your pituitary gland makes and releases several hormones that are necessary for many of your bodily functions, including metabolism, reproduction, and your water and salt balance. They're generally benign, slow-growing, and rarely spread to other tissues. Pituitary tumors are most common in adults over age 50, but sometimes children get them. Because your pituitary gland is so deep inside your brain, these tumors are difficult to remove. But medical treatment with hormone replacement therapy is usually successful.
Chordomas
Chordomas (pronounced kor-doe-muhs) are rare, slow-growing tumors that most commonly start at the base of your skull or the lower part of your spine (also called the sacrum). They start in cells that are left over from when you were developing as a fetus. Most people who are diagnosed with a chordoma are between 50 and 60 years old. These are mostly benign tumors, but they can grow into bone that's near the tumor and put pressure on it, which can cause symptoms. They may block your ventricles, which are four cavities deep in your brain where your cerebrospinal fluid is made. Your cerebrospinal fluid nourishes and protects your brain and spinal cord. If the tumor blocks your ventricles, you may get water on the brain (hydrocephalus).
Craniopharyngiomas
Craniopharyngiomas (pronounced kray-nee-ow-fe-ruhn-jee-ow-muhs) are benign tumors that usually start in the base of your brain near your optic nerves or your hypothalamus, above your pituitary gland. Like chordomas, these start in cells that are left over from fetal development. They most often occur in adults in their 50s and 60s, though they can happen in children, too.
Malignant brain tumor types
About 78% of malignant brain tumors in adults are gliomas (pronounced glai-ow-muhs). These start in your glial cells, which are the cells that give structural support to the other cells in your brain. Glial cells include astrocytes, ependymal cells, and oligodendroglial cells. Tumors that start in these types of glial cells include:
Astrocytomas
About half of all primary brain and spinal cord tumors are astrocytomas (pronounced a-strow-sai-tow-muhs). These tumors can start in many parts of your brain, but they're most common in your cerebrum. Your cerebrum is the largest part of your brain, and it controls many functions, including movement, temperature regulation, speech, judgment, thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, and learning. They can happen in people of any age, including children, but they are most common in adults, especially middle-aged men and people assigned male at birth. In children, they're mostly low-grade, but in adults, they're mostly high-grade.
One form of astrocytoma is called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). This tumor type can start in several types of cells, including your astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. These tend to grow very fast and spread to other tissues. They're most common in people 50-70 years old, especially men and people assigned male at birth. It's a very challenging tumor to treat because there are four subtypes that respond differently to the available treatments.
Ependymomas
About 2%-3% of brain tumors are ependymomas (pronounced uh-pen-duh-mow-muhs). They occur in children and adults. They start in the ependymal cells that line the ventricles in your brain where your cerebrospinal fluid is made. They may block the flow of your cerebrospinal fluid and cause hydrocephalus. They may also extend into your spinal cord.
Medulloblastomas
Medulloblastomas (pronounced muh-doo-luh-bla-stow-muhs) usually start in your cerebellum or near your brain stem and are most common in children. Your cerebellum is a part of brain at the back of your head that helps control your voluntary muscle movements, and maintain your posture, sense of balance, and equilibrium. Medulloblastomas tend to be high-grade tumors, but they also respond well to radiation and chemotherapy.
Oligodendrogliomas
Oligodendroglimas (pronounced aa-luh-gow-den-drow-glai-ow-muhs) usually start in cells that make myelin, which is the electrical insulation for your nerve cells. They tend to occur more frequently in the frontal and temporal lobes. Your frontal lobe is at the front of your head and controls things like your personality, ability to make decisions, and ability to move voluntarily. Your temporal lobes are at the sides of your head, just above and behind your ears. These lobes control your short-term memory, speech, ability to recognize musical rhythm, and some of your ability to detect smells. Oligodendrogliomas are more common in adults in their 20s to 40s but can happen in children too. They seem to be more common in men and people assigned male at birth than women and people assigned female at birth.
Experts generally classify brain tumor types using the World Health Organization (WHO) system for classifying tumors of the central nervous system. This system is based on what the tumor cells look like under a microscope and what is happening with the genes and proteins in these cells.
These classifications are called "grades," and they give your doctor an idea of how fast the tumor is likely to grow and whether it's likely to spread. In general, grade 1 and 2 tumors are benign, and grade 3 and 4 tumors are malignant. But some low-grade tumors become high-grade over time.
Using this information, your doctor can help you pick out your best treatment option.
Grades include:
Symptoms of brain tumors vary according to the type of tumor and where it is in your brain. Since different areas of your brain control different functions of your body, the tumor's location affects the symptoms you have.
Some tumors may cause no symptoms unless they grow large and press on other areas of your brain. Then, they may cause serious, rapid changes in your health. Other tumors may have symptoms that develop slowly over time.
Symptoms that a number of brain tumors have in common include:
You can get many of these symptoms from lots of conditions. So don't assume you have a brain tumor just because you have some of them. If you do have some of these symptoms, it's time to go in for a checkup with your doctor.
Brain tumors are one of most common solid tumor types in kids and teens. And about 72% of the children who are diagnosed with a brain tumor are younger than age 15. Children can get several types of brain tumors, but the tumors usually start in different tissues from those in adults.
The following tumor types are more common in kids than adults:
Diagnosis can be a complicated process that involves several specialists. Your doctor will likely start by asking questions about your symptoms, overall health, and family health history. Then they'll do a physical exam, including a neurological exam. During a neurological exam, your doctor will test your:
If they suspect a brain tumor, your doctor may request one or more of the following tests:
Your doctor may also do testing called biomarker testing on your biopsy sample. They may also call this testing tumor testing, genomic testing, genomic profiling, molecular testing, or molecular profiling. Biomarker testing gives your doctor information about what's happening with the genes and proteins in your tumor. Biomarker testing can help confirm their diagnosis, and give them an idea about which treatments may be the best options for you and what your prognosis may be.
Your doctor will consider several things in deciding how to treat your brain tumor, including:
Watch and wait
If your tumor is small and not causing you symptoms, your doctor may suggest watching and waiting, also called watchful waiting or active surveillance. This is when your doctor monitors your health with regular testing. If you start to get symptoms or it looks like your tumor is growing, they will help you choose another treatment option.
Surgery
In most cases, your doctor will want to remove the tumor. Your neurosurgeon will try to remove as much of the tumor as possible without injuring your brain tissue. Your neurosurgeon may do this with a craniotomy. During a craniotomy, your neurosurgeon will remove part of your skull to access your brain during surgery. They will usually use imaging or another surgical navigation system to help them find and completely remove the tumor without damaging your other brain tissues.
If you have hydrocephalus, you may also need a ventriculoperitoneal shunt inserted to help blocked cerebrospinal fluid drain out of your skull. This is usually a permanent fitting that drains your cerebrospinal fluid into the area around the organs in your belly.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
Some tumors can't be surgically removed because of their location in the brain. In those cases, your doctor will likely suggest chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both to help shrink or remove your tumor. You may also get chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery to help kill any remaining cancer cells.
Chemotherapy uses medicines to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. Studies show that chemotherapy can improve overall survival in about 20% of people with primary malignant brain tumors. Currently, doctors have no way of predicting who will benefit the most from chemotherapy. But chemotherapy seems to be most effective for some pediatric tumors, lymphomas, and some oligodendrogliomas. Some chemotherapy medicines that are used for brain tumors include:
Radiation therapy uses a radiation source, such as X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, and protons, to damage the DNA in cancer cells. This can kill the cancer cells and shrink your tumor. Modern radiation therapy methods reduce your risk of long-term radiation injury. This is because modern methods direct the radiation as specifically as possible at your tumor and protects your surrounding tissue. You may get radiation therapy using an external source of radiation, such as:
You may also get brachytherapy, or internal radiation therapy, where your neurosurgeon places the radiation source in your brain at the time of surgery to help kill any remaining tumor cells.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy (or biologic therapy) uses medicines that help your immune system kill cancer cells. Some medicines may tag the cancer cells so that your immune system can recognize them more easily. Other medicines may boost your immune system to fight the cancer cells. Some examples of immunotherapy include:
Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT)
This is a newer technique where your doctor inserts a small catheter into the tumor and then uses a laser to kill and remove it. LITT is also used to treat some forms of epilepsy.
Palliative care
Palliative care focuses on relieving your symptoms and improving your quality of life when you're managing an incurable condition. For instance, you may get medicines to help relieve your pain, nausea, or anxiety. You may also see a therapist, social worker, or spiritual adviser as part of your care. Talk to your doctor about adding palliative care to your treatment plan. Research shows that palliative care can help you live your best life longer when you're managing a long-term health condition.
Because treatment for cancer can damage healthy tissue, talk to your doctor about possible long-term effects of treatments in your plan. For instance, your doctor can explain the importance of rehabilitation after your treatment. Rehabilitation could involve working with several therapists, such as:
Your individual circumstances play a very large role in your prognosis. For instance, survival rates vary based on many things, including:
The five-year relative survival rate for all patients with a primary brain tumor is 76%. For people with benign brain tumors, the five-year relative survival rate is 92%.
If you were recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, ask your doctor these questions at your next visit.
1. What type of brain tumor do I have, and what is its grade?
2. What are the symptoms of brain cancer?
3. Which part of my brain is affected by the tumor, and what does this region of the brain do?
4. Will it be possible to surgically remove my tumor?
5. If you can't surgically remove the tumor, will I need other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy?
6. What are the possible side effects of these therapies?
7. Who might my treatment team include, and for how long will I continue to see them?
8. Are there alternative treatments for my condition?
9. Will there be any lasting problems from this disease or its treatment?
10. Are there any support groups in the area that I can contact?
A brain tumor is a clump of abnormal cells that grow in or around your brain. There are over a hundred types of brain tumors, including benign and malignant tumors. Most brain tumors are benign, which means they tend to grow slowly and are less likely to spread to other areas. Your doctor will do some tests to determine the grade of your tumor. This gives them an idea of how likely it is to grow and spread. Your treatment options will depend on what type of tumor you have and what grade your tumor is.
Can a brain tumor be cured?
Yes, in some cases, it's possible to cure a brain tumor. For instance, if your tumor is benign, you may be cured when you have surgery to remove it. If your tumor is malignant, it may also be possible to cure if it's caught early and removed with surgery.
Is it possible to live with a brain tumor?
Yes, many people with a benign brain tumor can live years without symptoms. And some people with a malignant tumor may be cured with surgery or radiation therapy. Over a third of people with a malignant brain tumor live at least five years after they're diagnosed.
What is the success rate for brain tumor surgery?
This is a challenging question to answer because the success rate for surgery depends on many things, including whether your tumor is benign or malignant, what type of surgery you're having, if it's possible to completely remove the tumor, and how healthy you are when you have surgery. Ask your neurosurgeon about their success rate for the specific procedure you're having.
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