09 March 2024 , 08:00
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Experts have shared some of the symptoms linked to brain tumours - including one telltale sign that will be most apparent when having a conversation with someone.
March marks Brain Tumour Awareness Month in the UK, which was founded in 2004 to help bring awareness to the disease. Brain tumours can affect people of any age, including children, although they tend to be more common in older adults.
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour in the UK each year, of which about half are cancerous. Many others are diagnosed with a secondary brain tumour.
Because symptoms aren't always apparent, and others develop gradually over time, it's important to be aware of any signs so they can be flagged to a doctor early. One of the most common symptoms you might be able to spot is vision or speech problems.
This is something you might notice when you're mid-conversation with someone. Aphasia (sometimes called dysphasia) is the most common communication difficulty experienced by people with brain tumours.
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It is an impairment of language, which affects the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write, due to damage to the brain. Sufferers might have difficulty speaking, may slur their words, or trouble finding the right words to say.
Some might also experience blurred or double vision, loss of peripheral vision, or seeing flashing lights or colours. Other common symptoms, according to the NHS, are headaches, seizures (fits), persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness, mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality, and progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
Brain tumours are graded according to how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back after treatment. Grade 1 and 2 tumours are low grade, and grade 3 and 4 tumours are high grade.
There are 2 main types of brain tumours:
non-cancerous (benign) brain tumours – these are low grade (grade 1 or 2), which means they grow slowly and are less likely to return after treatment
cancerous (malignant) brain tumours – these are high grade (grade 3 or 4) and either start in the brain (primary tumours) or spread into the brain from elsewhere (secondary tumours); they're more likely to grow back after treatment.
If you are exhibiting any of the symptoms above, see a GP - particularly if you have a headache that feels different from the type of headache you usually get, or if headaches are getting worse. You may not have a brain tumour, but these types of symptoms should always be checked.
If the GP cannot identify a more likely cause of your symptoms, they may refer you to a doctor who specialises in the brain and nervous system (neurologist) for further assessment and tests, such as a brain scan.