A brain tumor can be either cancerous or non-cancerous depending upon whether the tumor is growing and spreading aggressively. If the tumor is not aggressive then it will be termed ‘benign’ and generally speaking a benign tumor is less serious but treatment may still be required.

Brain cancer is the term given to a malignant brain tumor. If the tumor is growing and producing abnormal cells, which spread and take over the space of healthy cells then it will be termed ‘malignant’ or ‘cancerous’. Cancerous brain tumors can originate either directly from the brain (known as Primary tumors) or they can develop from a cancerous tumor elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain (known as Secondary tumors).

They can grow anywhere in the brain and therefore you can experience different symptoms depending upon which area of the brain the tumor is situated.

The brain is divided into three main structures:

1. The Cerebrum (front)

2. The Cerebellum (back)

3. The Brain Stem (bottom)

Each part of the brain is responsible for different bodily functions.

The Cerebrum is divided into two halves (the right and left cerebral hemispheres). These are responsible for a person’s memory, emotions, senses, speech and thinking. Opposite sides of the cerebral hemispheres control opposite sides of the body so that the left cerebral hemisphere controls the right hand side of the body and vice versa. Each hemisphere is then sub-divided into 4 areas each one being responsible for controlling different aspects, such as personality, sight, sense of smell and speech. A brain tumor in this part of the brain can cause difficulties with speech, vision, hearing and behavior.

The Cerebellum is at the back of the brain and is largely responsible for a person’s balance and co-ordination. Ordinarily these functions occur spontaneously without thinking but a tumor in this part of the brain can make simple tasks that are taken for granted such as walking extremely difficult.

The Brain stem is at the bottom of the brain and is responsible for controlling basic things such as our breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure and eye movement. It connects the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord.

Statistically where adults are concerned most brain tumors grow in the cerebrum whereas in children they are more likely to occur in the cerebellum or brain stem. In adults it is also more common for a brain tumor to be secondary rather than primary whereas in children it is the reverse. It is important to remember that brain tumors(brain cancer) remain a rarity with approximately 4500 people diagnosed in the UK each year.

Some of the most common symptoms of a brain tumor can be; headaches, sickness and drowsiness but these symptoms are very common in lots of other illnesses therefore the chance of it being because of a brain tumor is small. Nevertheless if you are worried or concerned you should seek medical guidance. Other specific symptoms for a brain tumor can be problems with your sight including blurred vision, tunnel vision and floating shapes and/or fitting. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and you are concerned, you should speak to your doctor who will refer you to a specialist if necessary for further tests ad investigations; which may include CT and MRI scanning and/or a biopsy.

If a brain tumor is diagnosed various treatment options will be discussed with you. For primary tumors, surgery is usually considered as a first option provided the tumor is not positioned at the skull base. For secondary tumors again surgery will usually be considered first together with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.