Signs & Symptoms shows in brain tumor patient
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Visibility of signs and symptoms of brain tumors mainly depends on two factors: tumor size i.e. volume and tumor location. The moment that symptoms will become apparent, either to the person or people around him (symptom onset) is an important milestone in the course of the diagnosis and treatment of the tumor. The symptom onset – in the timeline of the development of the neoplasm – depends in many cases on the nature of the tumor but in many cases is also related to the change of the neoplasm from "benign" (i.e. slow-growing/late symptom onset) to more malignant (fast growing/early symptom onset).Symptoms of solid neoplasms of the brain (primary brain tumors and secondary tumors alike) can be divided in 3 main categories:
others symptoms are due to
Firstly, because they take up space inside the skull as they grow. Secondly, they can cause specific symptoms due to their position in the brain. There is more information below about the symptoms due to brain tumours taking up space and symptoms due to the position of the tumour.
The most common symptoms
The most common symptoms of brain tumour people have when they first go to the doctor are headaches and fits (seizures). But do remember that brain tumours are rare and there are much more common reasons for both these symptoms. So if you have either of these, do go to the doctor as soon as possible. But try not to worry too much until you know what is causing the symptoms.
Symptoms due to increased pressure in the head
As the skull is made of bone, there is a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up. The growing tumour increases the pressure inside this fixed space. This is called raised intracranial pressure or raised ICP. The increase in pressure causes the following effects.
It is important to remember that headaches and sickness are very common symptoms of illness. A brain tumour is not a very likely cause if these are the only symptoms you have. But you should go to your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms.
With a brain tumour, feeling sick (nausea) may also be worse in the morning. You may actually be sick. You may also have hiccoughs (hiccups).
Drowsiness is usually a later symptom of a brain tumour. As the tumour grows and the pressure inside the head increases, you may sleep more than usual. Or find yourself dropping off during the day. If this is not treated, you could eventually become more difficult to wake and then become unconscious.[3]
If you are having problems with your eyes, you should see your doctor. This is particularly important if your sight seems to be failing and glasses are not helping. Other problems include blurred vision, floating shapes, tunnel vision, or a loss of vision that comes and goes. Sometimes opticians pick up these problems - it is possible to detect raised intracranial pressure through an eye examination.[4]
Fits are one of the most common symptoms of brain tumours. About 1 in 4 people with a brain tumour have fits when they first go to their doctor. A fit can just be jerking or twitching of a hand, arm or leg. Or they may affect the whole body. Some fits just cause a moment of unconsciousness. Fits can often be controlled with anti epilepsy medicines. And if your brain tumour is successfully treated, they may stop completely. In some cases, fits continue even after successful treatment because of scar tissue left in the brain. You may then need to carry on taking anti fit medicines (anti epileptic drugs).
Having a fit is very frightening. There are many different causes of fits and it is important to go to your doctor if you have one.[4]
- Consequences of intracranial hypertension:
- Dysfunction
- Irritation: abnormal fatigue, weariness, absences and tremors, but also epileptic seizures.
- Consequences of intracranial hypertension: The symptoms that often occur first are those that are the consequences of increased intracranial pressure: Large tumors or tumors with extensive perifocal swelling headaches, vomiting (sometimes without nausea), altered state of consciousness (somnolence, coma), dilation of the pupil on the side of the lesion (anisocoria), papilledema (prominent optic disc at the funduscopic eye examination). However, even small tumors obstructing the passage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may cause early signs of increased intracranial pressure. Increased intracranial pressure may result in herniation (i.e. displacement) of certain parts of the brain, such as the cerebellar tonsils or the temporal uncus, resulting in lethal brainstem compression. In very young children, elevated intracranial pressure may cause an increase in the diameter of the skull and bulging of the fontanelles.edema) inevitably lead to elevated intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension), which translates clinically into headaches, vomiting (sometimes without nausea), altered state of consciousness (somnolence, coma), dilation of the pupil on the side of the lesion (anisocoria), papilledema (prominent optic disc at the funduscopic eye examination). However, even small tumors obstructing the passage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may cause early signs of increased intracranial pressure. Increased intracranial pressure may result in herniation (i.e. displacement) of certain parts of the brain, such as the cerebellar tonsils or the temporal uncus, resulting in lethal brainstem compression.
- Dysfunction: depending on the tumor location and the damage it may have caused to surrounding brain structures, either through compression or infiltration, any type of focal neurologic symptoms may occur, such as cognitive and behavioral impairment (including impaired judgment, memory loss, lack of recognition, spatial orientation disorders), personality or emotional changes, hemiparesis, hypoesthesia, aphasia, ataxia, visual field impairment, impaired sense of smell, impaired hearing, facial paralysis, double vision, dizziness, but more severe symptoms might occur too such as: paralysis on one side of the body hemiplegia or impairment to swallow . These symptoms are not specific for brain tumors – they may be caused by a large variety of neurologic conditions (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury). What counts, however, is the location of the lesion and the functional systems (e.g. motor, sensory, visual, etc.) it affects. A bilateral temporal visual field defect (bitemporal hemianopia—due to compression of the optic chiasm), often associated with endocrine dysfunction—either hypopituitarism or hyperproduction of pituitary hormones and hyperprolactinemia is suggestive of a pituitary tumor.
- Irritation: abnormal fatigue, weariness, absences and tremors, but also epileptic seizures.
others symptoms are due to
Firstly, because they take up space inside the skull as they grow. Secondly, they can cause specific symptoms due to their position in the brain. There is more information below about the symptoms due to brain tumours taking up space and symptoms due to the position of the tumour.
The most common symptoms
The most common symptoms of brain tumour people have when they first go to the doctor are headaches and fits (seizures). But do remember that brain tumours are rare and there are much more common reasons for both these symptoms. So if you have either of these, do go to the doctor as soon as possible. But try not to worry too much until you know what is causing the symptoms.
Symptoms due to increased pressure in the head
As the skull is made of bone, there is a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up. The growing tumour increases the pressure inside this fixed space. This is called raised intracranial pressure or raised ICP. The increase in pressure causes the following effects.
It is important to remember that headaches and sickness are very common symptoms of illness. A brain tumour is not a very likely cause if these are the only symptoms you have. But you should go to your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms.
- You are getting very bad headaches
- You have started getting headaches, but do not usually do so
- You are getting them more and more often
- You are getting headaches and sickness together
With a brain tumour, feeling sick (nausea) may also be worse in the morning. You may actually be sick. You may also have hiccoughs (hiccups).
Drowsiness is usually a later symptom of a brain tumour. As the tumour grows and the pressure inside the head increases, you may sleep more than usual. Or find yourself dropping off during the day. If this is not treated, you could eventually become more difficult to wake and then become unconscious.[3]
- Problems with your eyes
- Fits (seizures)
If you are having problems with your eyes, you should see your doctor. This is particularly important if your sight seems to be failing and glasses are not helping. Other problems include blurred vision, floating shapes, tunnel vision, or a loss of vision that comes and goes. Sometimes opticians pick up these problems - it is possible to detect raised intracranial pressure through an eye examination.[4]
Fits are one of the most common symptoms of brain tumours. About 1 in 4 people with a brain tumour have fits when they first go to their doctor. A fit can just be jerking or twitching of a hand, arm or leg. Or they may affect the whole body. Some fits just cause a moment of unconsciousness. Fits can often be controlled with anti epilepsy medicines. And if your brain tumour is successfully treated, they may stop completely. In some cases, fits continue even after successful treatment because of scar tissue left in the brain. You may then need to carry on taking anti fit medicines (anti epileptic drugs).
Having a fit is very frightening. There are many different causes of fits and it is important to go to your doctor if you have one.[4]