Getting a brain tumour diagnosis is something nobody wants to go through, which is why it is essential anyone who suspects something is wrong with them seeks medical advice as soon as possible. 

However, in order to know what symptoms are suspicious, you need to have a good idea about the first signs of a brain tumour. Here are a few you should be on the lookout for. 

Headaches

Anyone can suffer from headaches and it doesn’t mean you have a metastatic brain tumour, but if these become more frequent, worsen with activity, wake you up at night, make you feel sick, or start to feel severe, they should be checked out. 

Seizures

Seizures often affect your entire body, but can also just be twitching of the hands, so pay attention to any involuntary movement. They occur in 80 per cent of people with brain tumours, so if you begin to have them, see a doctor immediately. 

Personality changes

If you notice your behaviour has changed, or other people have mentioned that your personality is different, this can be difficult to digest. However, it is imperative you don’t ignore it, as it could be a sign of a brain tumour, especially together with confusion or memory loss. 

Problems with vision

Whether you have always had perfect vision or you wear glasses, you might suddenly find your vision deteriorating or you may experience periods of poor eyesight. Any signs of blurred or tunnel vision, or floating shapes, should be checked out.

Nausea or vomiting

There could be a lot of causes of nausea or vomiting, but if this is coupled with any of the other symptoms, it could be an indication of a tumour. 

Drowsiness, fatigue, or mobility problems

Some people feel drowsy, overwhelmed with fatigue, have a weakness in their body, or struggle with their memory and concentration. These are all early warning signs of a brain tumour, so if it concerns you, seek medical help as soon as possible.

A woman who has sadly lost both her mother and brother to brain cancer has welcomed The Brain Tumour Charity’s decision to award £1.2m of funding to brain cancer research. The BBC reports that Nikki Saunders, a nurse from Essex, lost her mother Susan and brother Paul to glioblastoma in 2018.

Ms Saunders said: “As you can imagine, we were devastated. Having to tell my mum that Paul also had the same type of brain tumour is something I will never forget. Paul was determined that he and mum would beat this. They were both so brave and showed dignity, strength and love to us all throughout.”

Ms Saunders added: “Words cannot describe what we went through or how missed and loved my brother and mum are.”

Ms Saunders has since campaigned to boost funding and raise awareness of brain tumours. Glioblastomas are a fast growing and aggressive type of brain tumour that affect over 3,000 people a year in the UK. They are the most common type of high grade primary brain tumour that affects adults, although they rarely occur in children. 

Common symptoms of a glioblastoma include headaches, memory problems, changes in personality, trouble communicating, tiredness, seizures, eyesight disturbances, depression, and numbness or tingling in one side of the body. The average survival time after diagnosis is 12-18 months, and only 25% of patients survive for more than one year. 

Glioblastomas can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, radiosurgery, and possibly neurosurgery if the location of the tumour in the brain makes this a viable option. Sometimes, surgery is performed to remove part of the tumour and radiotherapy is used to remove as much of the remaining tumour as possible.

Emma Thompson, head of research at the Brain Tumour Charity said: “Our junior fellows grants fund the future leaders of scientific and clinical research into brain tumours, and our aspiration is that this research will help us accelerate a cure for brain tumours. We know that glioblastomas are incredibly difficult to treat due to their complex make-up.

She added: “Therefore, funding this innovative research which aims to understand how the immune system responds to tumour cells and that tackles cells that promote tumour recurrence is important if we want to find new treatments that will enable us to find better ways to treat this disease.”

“We are very excited to continue working with Tyler and Spencer and look forward to following the progress of their research over the coming years.”

Brain tumour research has been significantly underfunded compared to other types of cancer in the UK, with just £15m of a promised £40m investment allocated over the past five years. Campaign groups have worked hard to raise awareness of the issue, including attending a parliamentary committee enquiry earlier this year. 

For more information about glioblastoma brain tumour treatment, please contact Mr George Samandouras of Amethyst Radiotherapy.

A story that is rare enough to be newsworthy but common enough to appear in the newspaper is how a routine appointment or test revealed a cancerous tumour early enough for it to be diagnosed, treated and stopped.

For example, there is this story published in The Metro of a 16-year-old who went for an eye test after breaking her glasses only for the test to spot that she had medulloblastoma, and this helped her to get it treated promptly and she has since entered remission.

Whilst a wonderful story, it is important to know how these life-saving discoveries can be made, as well as what should be done as a follow-up to ensure that anyone diagnosed gets the treatment they need.

Signs An Optician Looks For

In many cases, people do not get a diagnosis for a brain tumour, growth or lesion until they start seeing symptoms and receive a referral from their GP.

This can be a problem because some forms of cancer do not demonstrate clear symptoms until they reach an advanced stage, which can limit the types of noninvasive treatment that can be done.

As most people should have an eye test every two years, there is a good chance that if there is anything to spot they will find it earlier than you might feel it in yourself.

Some vision issues that can be connected to brain tumours, besides vision loss, include:

• The onset of recurring headaches or an ache in an odd place on the head that does not seem to go away.
• Unusual movements, turns and blinking from the eye.
• Double vision or blurred vision.
• A tendency to keep the head in an unusual position, such as a head tilt, stiffness of the neck or neck pain.

Opticians usually look closely at your eyes for signs of what might have caused vision issues, and in doing so will pay close attention to the optic disc and the optic nerve.

If there is pressure on the optic nerve, it can be a sign that a tumour is putting pressure on it, whilst a swollen optic disc could be a sign of papilloedema.

If the optician finds something, they will tell you and refer you for further tests and potential treatment, depending on the nature of the growth or swelling, or whether it is a sign of a potential tumour.

Can An Eye Test Find Every Brain Tumour?

The simple answer to this is absolutely not. There are a lot of different types of brain tumours, growths and lesions, and which ones can be found through an eye test can depend on exactly where they are in the brain and what type of cancer it is.

Regardless of this, it is useful if you are concerned, and can serve as an early warning system that will allow you to receive further tests and much less invasive treatments, as the early cancer is found, the easier it typically is to treat and the more options are available for specialists.

We were honored to have Mr. Stephane Carré, CEO of the Amethyst Group, extend a warm welcome to all our esteemed guests who gathered to mark the beginning of an exciting journey in gamma knife radiotherapy treatments.

Mr. Carré highlighted the significance of this new centre and its commitment to providing cutting-edge radiotherapy solutions.

Mr. Neil Kitchen, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Medical Director at the Queen Square Radiosurgery Centre, shared insights into the current and future plans and proposals for these state-of-the-art premises. His presentation shed light on the remarkable advancements in radiotherapy technology that will benefit patients in the region.

The opening event saw a fantastic turnout, with numerous attendees coming together to explore the facility and engage in discussions about the innovative treatments and services that will be available here. It was a platform for networking and collaboration, fostering connections within the medical community.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Throughout the month, there are a range of fund-raising activities and events taking place to support the research and treatment of breast cancer. It also encourages people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease, which is the most common cancer in the UK, representing 15% of all cancers.

The majority of breast cancer patients are women, although it can affect men as well. According to Breast Cancer.co.uk, the rate of breast cancer in women has doubled over the past 50 years and a woman in the UK born after 1960 has around a 1 in 7 risk of developing breast cancer. 

86% of breast cancers in women are diagnosed at stage 1 or stage 2, which means that the cancer hasn’t spread throughout the body. Stage 4 breast cancer is known as metastatic breast cancer. Metastasis is the process of cancer cells breaking away from the original tumour and travelling to other areas of the body. 

The brain is one of the most common areas to which breast cancer spreads, occurring in around 15% to 24% of women with metastatic breast cancer (also known as secondary breast cancer). Breast cancer may also spread to the lungs, liver, and bones, either through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. 

What are the symptoms of breast cancer with brain metastases?

The general symptoms that breast cancer has spread include constant tiredness, nausea, and unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite. 

Specific signs that breast cancer has spread to the brain include headache; feeling sick or being sick, weakness or numbness down one side of the body; seizures; difficulty with speech; problems with vision; confusion; memory problems; and changes in behaviour, mood, and personality.  

How is secondary breast cancer to the brain treated?

When breast cancer spreads to the brain, it can be treated but not cured. Treatments may involve slowing down the growth of the cancer and also relieving symptoms, and may be given alone or in combination. 

When breast cancer spreads to the brain, the cells are still breast cancer cells rather than brain cancer cells. This means that the treatment for breast cancer with brain metastases may vary from the treatments for other types of brain cancer. 

The type of treatment will depend on a range of factors, including how many tumours are present and what size they are; the location in the brain; and if the cancer has spread to any other areas of the body. 

The most common treatments include steroid drugs to reduce pressure and swelling on the brain and relieve symptoms; and radiotherapy or stereotactic radiosurgery or radiotherapy. 

Stereotactic radiosurgery is also known as Gamma Knife surgery, and it is not a conventional type of surgery involving incisions or insertions into the brain. It uses highly targeted doses of radiation from an external machine to destroy the cancer cells, whilst avoiding the healthy tissue.