Warning Signs of Brain Cancer

Brain is the central processing unit of the human body. Brain is a soft, spongy mass of tissue. It is protected by the bones of the skull. Watery fluid called cerebrospinal fluid which is there to cushion the brain. Since there are spaces present in the brain mass, this fluid flows through those spaces which are called ventricles. The brain controls memory and learning, senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch), and on. It also controls other parts of the body, including muscles, organs, and blood vessels.

Just like the other body parts of human body, our brain can also develop cancer sites. Brain cancer can also be named as brain tumor. Since brain tumor is a life-threatening condition, it is important to understand its early warning signs. If brain tumor is accurately diagnosed in its initial stage, then it can be cured through appropriate treatments.

Brain cancer is caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the brain. These cells are the cancer cells which disturb the normal functioning of the brain. Brain cancers can be benign or malignant.

Tumors which are not the by-product of any other type of tumor but start in the brain are called primary brain tumors. There are many types of primary brain tumors which are there depending on the sort of cells involved, from case to case basis. Major types of the brain tumor are:

Pineoblastoma, Astrocytoma, Ependymoblastoma, Ependymoma, Medulloblastoma, Neuroblastoma, Oligodendroglioma, Brain stem glioma, Aacoustic Neuroma and Meningioma

In some cases the actual site of the tumor is not brain, the tumor may start somewhere else such as in lungs, intestines etc. , the tumor cells from these sites spread and travel to brain. These are called metastatic brain tumors.

Metastatic tumors cannot be graded as primary brain tumors and there are certain reasons attached to that. Metastatic tumors contain the same name of the cancer that infects the brain also called the primary or basic cancer. For example, if bone cancer has spread to the brain in some case, the cancer will be called asmetastatic bone cancer because the cells in the secondary tumor (in the form of brain cancer) resemble abnormal bone cells, not bad brain cells.

The signs of brain cancer appear when there is damage of vital tissues, due to increased pressure on the brain as brain is enclosed in a limited space in the skull. A condition called oedema may also occur in which there is swelling and fluid accumulation around the tumor. If a brain tumor grows very slowly, its symptoms may not appear for some time.


There are many diagnosis procedures for brain cancer which include overall health condition; it also includes a neurologic examination of the brain, check for brain and mental alertness, muscle strength of brain and body, coordination between brain and organs, reflexes of the body and its response to pain. Eyes are specially checked thoroughly to detect any swelling caused by the tumor because brain tumor usually presses on the nerve between the brain and the eye.

There are many factors taken into account for the treatment of the secondary brain tumor. These include the age of the patient and health, the response to the already given treatment, where and how the brain cancer was started and the level of the spread of the cancer in brain.

For the diagnosis, a pathologist examines the brain’s affected tissue through a microscope. An MRI is conducted to see the spread of the cancer and its speed of spread however it may also be done to determine if the cancer cells have been completely removed after the surgery. Different other tests are also conducted to exactly establish the grad and the level of the tumor before conducting any surgery.

Any kind of abnormality, ranging from a slight behavioral change to blurred vision should be given importance.
Headaches that tend to be worse in the morning and ease during the day are the commonest features. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. Only a doctor can diagnose and treat the problem.