A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain which multiply in an abnormal, uncontrollable way. A benign brain tumour is a non-cancerous growth. It usually grows slowly in one place and does not invade other areas of the brain or spread to other parts of the body. Benigh brain tumour is an uncommon condition.

Brain tumours can affect people of any age, including children. Some benign brain tumours, such as meningiomas, are more common in women.

There are different types of benign brain tumour, depending on the type of brain cells they have grown from. The five main types are:

1. Meningiomas. These are (usually non-cancerous) tumours of the membranes that cover the brain.
2. Acoustic neuromas. These tumours grow in the acoustic nerve, which helps control hearing and balance.
3. Craniopharyngiomas. These tumours grow near the base of the brain and are most often diagnosed in children, teenagers and young adults.
4. Haemangiomas. These are tumours of the brain’s blood vessels, which can cause seizures and partial paralysis.
5. Pituitary adenomas. These are tumours of the pituitary gland (the pea-sized gland below the brain).

The symptoms of a benign brain tumour

A benign brain tumour can put pressure on the brain, causing symptoms such as irritability, headache and vomiting. It can also prevent an area of the brain from functioning properly. For example, a tumour in the occipital lobe (at the back of the brain) may cause loss of vision on one side. These symptoms are discussed below.

1. Increased pressure on the brain

If the tumour causes an increase in pressure inside the skull, it can lead to the following symptoms:

• irritability, drowsiness, apathy or forgetfulness,
• severe, persistent headache,
• vomiting, which is sometimes sudden and for no apparent reason,
• dizziness,
• epilepsy or fits, which can be either major seizures or twitching in one area of the body,
• partial loss of vision or hearing,
• hallucinations, and
• personality changes, including abnormal and uncharacteristic behaviour.

It is important to see a doctor if you develop a persistent and severe headache that does not appear to have any obvious cause, especially if you also have unexpected vomiting.

2. Loss of brain function

Different areas of the brain control different functions, so any loss of brain function will depend on where the tumour is located. For example:

1. A tumour affecting the frontal lobe may cause changes in personality, weakness in one side of the body and loss of smell.
2. A tumour affecting the parietal lobe may cause difficulty in speaking, understanding words, writing, reading and coordinating certain movements. There may also be numbness in one side of the body.
3. A tumour affecting the occipital lobe may cause loss of vision on one side.
4. A tumour affecting the temporal lobe may cause fits or blackouts, a sensation of strange smells and problems with speech and memory.
5. A tumour affecting the cerebellum may cause a loss of coordination, difficulty walking and speaking, flickering of the eyes, vomiting and a stiff neck.
6. A tumour affecting the brain stem may cause unsteadiness and difficulty walking, facial weakness, double vision and difficulty speaking and swallowing.

Benign brain tumours can be serious if they are not diagnosed and treated early. Although they remain in one place and do not usually spread, they can cause harm by pressing on and damaging nearby areas of the brain.

Causes of a benign brain tumour

The cause of benign brain tumours is often unknown, although a genetic disease, such as neurofibromatosis, can increase your risk of getting one.

Some brain tumours are congenital (present at birth) and are caused by abnormal development before birth. It is not fully understood what causes non-congenital tumours.

1. Underlying disease

Some people have a certain genetic condition that increases the risk of growths in the brain. These conditions include neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, Turcot syndrome, Li-Fraumeni cancer syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, and Gorlin syndrome. These conditions tend to cause gliomas that appear in childhood or early adulthood (most gliomas occur later in adulthood).

2. Other causes

Radiotherapy to the brain increases the risk of brain tumour, but this accounts for only a small number of new cases. Radiotherapy to the brain, used to treat childhood leukaemia, can also increase the risk.

It is also thought that family history of brain tumours and exposure to chemicals (such as formaldehyde) may be risk factors.

3. Using mobile phones and brain tumours

There have been reports in the media about a possible connection between brain tumours and the radiofrequency (RF) energy emitted by mobile phones. RF energy produces heat, which can increase body temperature and damage tissue exposed to it. It is thought that the amount of RF energy people are exposed to by mobile phones is too low to produce significant tissue heating or an increase in body temperature.

However, research is underway to establish whether RF energy has any effects on our health in the long term. No definitive conclusions have yet been reached.

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