What is a brain tumour?
A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that may be benign (slow growing, non-cancerous), or malignant (invasive, often grows rapidly and is cancerous). Brain tumours grow in an abnormal, uncontrollable way and each type of tumour has different characteristics.
What causes a brain tumour?
The cause of a brain tumour is generally unknown but the main risk factors are age, exposure to radiation and family history and genetics.
What are the symptoms of brain tumour?
The most common symptoms of brain tumour are:
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Persistently feeling sick, being sick and drowsiness
- Mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems and personality changes
- Progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Vision or speech problems
Although brain tumours are rare, if you or a loved one are experiencing two or more of these symptoms it’s important that you see your GP to rule out a brain tumour.
