Early Signs of Brain Tumor and When to Seek Help

Nearly one in six deaths happen due to cancer worldwide, making it the second common cause of death worldwide. The incidence of all cancer types is also increasing globally. An abnormal cell growth inside or close to the brain is called a brain tumor. Neural pathways, the pituitary, pineal, and brain surface membranes are all in close proximity to one another. In any of these areas, brain tumors can develop.

When brain tissue gives rise to brain tumors, these are called primary brain tumors. Cancer cells may move from other parts of the body to the brain. Such tumors are known as metastatic brain tumors, or secondary brain tumors.

Primary brain tumors may appear in many forms. There are benign brain tumors or non-cancerous brain tumors. Over time, non-cancerous brain tumors may enlarge and exert pressure on nearby brain tissue. Malignant brain tumors are another type of brain tumor. These types of brain tumors have a rapid growth rate and may invade and destroy the surrounding normal tissues.

Brain tumors can range in size from small to large. Certain brain tumors can be identified at very small sizes because they immediately cause symptoms. Some brain tumors enlarge significantly before they become apparent with noticeable symptoms. The brain is divided into regions that are more and less active. A brain tumor may not manifest symptoms immediately if it originates in a less active area of the brain. Before the tumor becomes noticeable, the size of the brain tumor may increase significantly.

Headaches, seizures, and mood swings are among the physical and mental symptoms that brain tumors can cause, and they can vary based on the type, location, and stage of the tumor. These factors also affect your treatment options. Radiation therapy and surgery are common treatments. Let’s explore more about the early signs of brain tumor and when to seek help.

What is Brain Tumor?

An aberrant mass or growth of cells in or near the brain is called a brain tumor. Central nervous system (CNS) tumors include both brain and spinal tumors combined. Brain tumors may present as benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Certain tumors grow slowly, while others grow faster.

Only one-third of brain tumors are malignant. Based on the nature, form, and size of brain tumor, it can affect your health and how well your brain functions if it’s size becomes big enough to press on nearby blood vessels, nerves, and tissue. Primary tumors are those that originate inside the brain. Secondary tumors, also referred to as metastatic brain tumors, are tumors that have spread to the brain from another area of the body.

Causes of Brain Tumor

The exact cause of brain tumors is still unknown. However, there is a suspicion that specific genes on a cell's chromosomes become damaged and stop functioning correctly. The commands from your chromosomes' DNA tell the various cells in your body when to divide, multiply, or grow, as well as when to die.

Your brain cells receive new instructions when their DNA gets negatively affected. In response to this, abnormal brain cells are developed in the body. These cells grow and multiply more quickly and survive longer than normal cells. When that occurs, the abnormal cells in your brain begin to aggregate and take up more and more space.

In certain cases, an individual may be born with alteration in one or more of these specific genes. Environmental factors, like exposure to large amounts of radiation from X-rays or previous cancer treatment, may then cause further damage.

In other situations, the only possible explanation could be environmental damage to the genes. A few uncommon hereditary genetic syndromes that are inherited (transmitted from parent to child) have been linked to brain tumors. These syndromes include:

• Neurofibromatosis type 1
• Neurofibromatosis type 2
• Gorlin syndrome
• Turcot syndrome
• Li-Fraumeni syndrome 
• Tuberous sclerosis complex

Early Signs of Brain Tumor 

Following are the certain signs of brain tumor:

• Headaches (more severe in the morning or making you wake you up at night)
• Seizures
• Difficulty in thinking, understanding, and speaking
• Personality changes
• Weakness 
• Paralysis in one part or one side of your body
• Balance problems 
• Dizziness
• Vision issues
• Facial numbness 
• Tingling
• Hearing issues
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Confusion 
• Disorientation

When to Seek Help for Brain Tumor?

If a person has any of the following symptoms, he/she should see a doctor immediately:

• Seizures one side of the body weakness, tingling, or numbness unexplained vision issues
• Communication problems
• Alterations in behavior or personality

Treatment Options for Brain Tumor

Following are treatment options for brain tumor:

• Brain surgery (craniotomy): Neurosurgeons try to remove the tumor whenever they find it safe and feasible. To prevent damage to the other parts of your brain, they operate very carefully, sometimes even doing surgery while you are awake (you won't feel pain).
• Radiation therapy: In this kind of treatment, high doses of X-rays either shrink the tumor or kill the cells causing the brain tumor.
• Radiosurgery: The radiation treatment targets the tumor with highly concentrated radiation beams, such as proton or gamma rays. 
• Brachytherapy: This is a type of radiation treatment. Radioactive seeds, capsules, or other implants are surgically inserted into or close to the malignant tumor.
• Chemotherapy: Anticancer medications used in this therapy destroy cancer cells in your body and brain. Chemotherapy can be administered as a pill or by injection into a vein. Following surgery, your doctor might advise chemotherapy to eradicate any cancer cells that might have persisted or to stop any tumor cells from proliferating.
• Immunotherapy: Biological therapy, another name for immunotherapy, is a kind of cancer treatment that boosts your body's immune system. The major goal of the therapy is to boost your immune system so that it can function better.
• Targeted therapy: Drugs that target specific features of cancer cells are used in this treatment, protecting healthy cells in the process. If the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea and fatigue, are too much for you to handle, your doctor might suggest targeted therapy.
• Watchful waiting/active surveillance: Your doctor may advise routine testing to closely monitor any signs of tumor growth if you have a very small brain tumor that is not causing any symptoms.

Conclusion

Approximately two thirds of brain tumors are benign, meaning that not all of them are cancerous. But your brain functioning can still be affected by them. Therefore, timely care and monitoring is essential.

Choose IBS Hospital if you are experiencing early signs of brain tumor and looking forward to the best treatment for brain tumor. Meet our experts today. Book your consultation now!

FAQs

Q1: When should I be worried about a brain tumor?
A: When you experience alterations in hearing, smell, or vision, including double or fuzzy vision, loss of coordination or balance, modification in senses (pressure, heat, cold, light touch, and sharp objects) and breathing and pulse rate changes, you should reach out to your doctor immediately.

Q2: Can sleep deprivation lead to brain tumors?
A: Hemangioblastomas and other primary brain tumors can be associated with sleep disturbances as well.

By -Dr Aaksha Shukla | August 12, 2024 | 9 Min Read