Brain tumors occur in various places within the cranium or skull. Many benign tumors can threaten life but in a different way than the malignant ones. Because a tumor occupies space, it infringes on what little space the brain has within the cranium. The skull, made of bone, does not yield to the territorial struggle, so the tumor's intrusion almost always causes symptoms as it presses on the brain.
What Is a Brain Tumor?
Another name for tumor, neoplasm, literally means new growth. Unlike a cyst that contains fluid and feels pliable, a tumor feels hard and solid to the touch. Benign tumors generally lack industrious growth. While their presence causes unpleasant symptoms, they are associated with a low mortality rate when treated. Malignant tumors, called cancerous tumors, grow aggressively and inhabit more and more space, causing damage to the structures around them. Mortality is much higher in patients with a malignant tumor because of its propensity to spread.
Types of Brain Tumors
A tumor develops from specific tissue and has a name that identifies its origin. According to Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, half of all intracranial tumors come from nerve cells or glia. Called gliomas, these tumors sometimes occur in children. Meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, neurofibromas and other tumors make up the other half of brain tumors. As these names imply, they come from the meninges, the pituitary and nerve tissue. Further classified by location, brain tumors have some symptoms in common and others that are distinctive. Frontal lobe lesions occur at the forehead region. Temporal lobe lesions occur at either side of the head, above the ears around the temple. Parietal lobe lesions show up on the top and in the middle of the brain. Occipital lobe lesions appear at the base of the skull in the back of the head. Brain stem and cerebellar lesions grow in the area beneath the occipital lobe.
Common Symptoms
A tumor in the brain causes predictable symptoms. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, patients with brain tumors may have symptoms that can also be characteristic of other illnesses, and therefore these need professional evaluation. Examples include headache, a change in behavior or personality, seizure, loss of sensation in an arm or leg, imbalance, loss of vision in one eye or both eyes, double vision, hearing loss with possible dizziness and difficulty with speech.
Symptoms Specific to Tumor Location
Different parts of the brain control different parts of the body. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment lists tumors by the regions of the brain and their associated symptoms. A person with a frontal lobe lesion exhibits progressive intellectual decline, personality changes, slow thinking and abnormal grasp reflexes. Loss of speech and sense of smell also affects him. In temporal lobe tumors a patient experiences seizures with taste and smell hallucinations. She might involuntarily smack or repeatedly lick her lips, change emotions quickly and complain of déjà vu. Her visual field makes objects seem smaller than their actual size, and she has auditory hallucinations. When the tumor occurs in the parietal lobe, the person has disturbances in sensation and sensory ability. He cannot distinguish the shape or size of objects. His vision is distorted, and he may have trouble with words. Sometimes he denies awareness of a limb, claiming it doesn't belong to him. With an occipital lobe tumor, blindness can occur along with lack of pupil response to light. Color perception wanes and patients have difficulty recognizing familiar faces. Lower, in the brainstem and cerebellar lobes, a tumor can result in a myriad of motor deficits. The affected person develops palsies, incoordination, and nystagmus, an involuntary flicking of the eyes. His speech declines as well.
Recommendations
Anyone experiencing these symptoms---especially those grouped together---should see a doctor. While most of the symptoms can mimic those of other diseases, their association with brain tumors is clear. A CT scan, MRI or PET scan can aid in diagnosis. Early diagnosis ensures a greater chance of cure.
References
- Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment; Stephen J. McPhee and Maxine A. Papadakis; 2010
- National Brain Tumor Society: Symptoms and Diagnosis; 2010
