Symptoms of brain cancer vary significantly depending on the size and the location of the tumor. The pressure exerted by the growing tumor can cause some of these symptoms. Many of the symptoms of brain cancer are shared by other conditions and illnesses. This makes a reliable diagnosis possible only with the use of such imaging devices as a magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scanner.
Headaches
A common symptom of brain cancer is a headache. They are typically quite bad, and the worst in the morning or when person lies down. These headaches originate from the pressure caused by the growing tumor inside the skull. Anything that increases the pressure inside the head, such as sneezing, bending over, or coughing, typically worsens these headaches, which can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, especially during the morning. Headaches related to brain cancer tend to get more frequent and severe as time passes. Approximately one in three brain cancer patients are first seen by a doctor due to complaints about headaches, notes Cancer Help.
Fits and Seizures
Fits and seizures are frequently reported among brain cancer patients. Roughly one in four patients first schedule a doctor's appointment after experiencing a spasm, explains Cancer Help. These fits may involve the whole body or a single part, like a leg or an arm. To treat cancer-related fits and seizures, doctors can prescribe epilepsy medication. Experiencing a fit or a seizure is always a serious symptom and should always be brought to a doctor's attention. These symptoms may disappear after successful treatment, but sometimes can reoccur as a result of a scar left by the tumor.
Cognitive Symptoms
Cognitive symptoms caused by brain tumors can vary considerably depending on the location and the size of the tumor. Brain cancer can cause dysfunctions in memory, learning, language and attention. It may also change a patient's personality, or cause him to become aggressive. These types of changes are especially prominent in patients with frontal lobe cancer. Problems in memory and understanding language are quite common if the brain cancer is located in the temporal lobe. Another area that can cause problems in language if affected by a cancerous tumor is the parietal lobe. Cancer in the occipital lobe typically causes problems in vision. Also, cancer in cerebellum can cause poor coordination.
