Brain Tumors
About the disease & condition
Known Symptoms
- General symptoms: Headaches (often worse in the morning or with Valsalva).
Nausea/vomiting, seizures, cognitive or personality changes.
Focal neurological deficits (e.g., weakness, sensory loss, vision changes, speech difficulties). - Red flag symptoms:
New-onset seizures in adults.
Progressive neurological deficits.
Signs of increased intracranial pressure (e.g., papilledema, lethargy).
Known Causes
- Primary tumors: Arise from brain cells (e.g., glial cells, meninges). Common types include gliomas (e.g., glioblastoma, astrocytoma), meningiomas, and pituitary adenomas.
- Metastatic tumors: Spread from cancers such as lung, breast, or melanoma.
Risk factors: Genetic syndromes (e.g., Neurofibromatosis, Li-Fraumeni), ionizing radiation exposure, family history (rare). - Pathophysiology: Tumor growth causes damage through mass effect (compression of brain tissue), increased intracranial pressure, infiltration of healthy tissue, and disruption of normal neural function.
Care
Prevention: No known primary prevention; avoid ionizing radiation when possible.
Follow-up: Regular MRI surveillance to monitor for recurrence or progression.
Rehabilitation (physical, occupational, speech therapy) as needed. Long-term management of treatment-related side effects.
Relevant Specialities
Neuro Surgery
Our Neuro Surgery Department cares for complex conditions of the brain, spine and nervous system in both adults and children, combining advanced surgical skill with thoughtful, patient-first care. Our experienced neurosurgeons work closely with neurologists, intensivists, radiologists and rehabilitation teams to decide the best treatment path—whether surgical or non-surgical—based on what is safest and most effective for each patient. We manage brain tumours, stroke and trauma emergencies, spine disorders, vascular conditions such as aneurysms and AVMs, epilepsy and nerve pain, using modern techniques including minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery to support faster recovery.
