What are the symptoms of brain tumours?

Brain tumours cause symptoms because they take up space inside the skull and cause pressure on areas of the brain. The symptoms vary according to where the tumour is in the brain and which part of the brain it is pressing on. The tumour can also cause inflammation, so there can be swelling of the brain tissue around the tumour, which can also cause symptoms, most commonly fits (seizures).

As the skull is made of bone, there is a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up. The growing tumour increases the pressure inside this fixed space. This is called 'raised intracranial pressure'. The increase in pressure causes

  • Headache (which may be worse in the early morning)
  • Feeling sick and vomiting
  • Drowsiness

About 1 in 3 people with a brain tumour first go to their doctor with headaches. A headache caused by a brain tumour tends to be quite bad. It can last for a long time. It is often worse first thing in the morning. Sometimes it may get better during the day. But anything that increases the pressure in your head can make it get worse again. For example, bending over, coughing and sneezing, exercising or even shouting.

With a brain tumour, feeling sick will also be worse in the morning. You may actually be sick. You may also have hiccoughs (hiccups). Drowsiness is usually a later symptom of a brain tumour.

Fits are one of the commonest symptoms of brain tumours. About 1 in 4 people with a brain tumour first go to their doctor because they have had a fit. A fit can just be jerking or twitching of a hand, arm or leg. Or it may affect the whole body. Some fits just cause a moment of unconsciousness.

Other symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected by the tumour. Symptoms can include any of these. Depending on which part of the brain the tumour is in there may also be other symptoms such as

  • Eye problems - floating shapes or tunnel vision
  • Changes in personality or behaviour
  • Memory loss
  • Difficulty with talking, reading or writing
  • Difficulty understanding what is said to you
  • Weakness or numbness in part of the body
  • Sight problems or loss of vision on one side
  • Poor balance or coordination
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Dizziness

As you can see, these symptoms vary widely and some are quite vague. Nearly all could be caused by illnesses other than cancer. In older people, some of the symptoms might by put down to getting old. If several symptoms like these develop over less than 6 months, you should check with your doctor.

There is now a whole section of CancerHelp UK on brain tumours and their treatment, including a page on brain tumour symptoms.