Brain cancer

Brain cancer signs and symptoms

Headaches are often the first symptom of a brain tumour. The headaches can be mild, severe, persistent, or come and go. A headache isn't always a brain tumour but if you're worried, be sure to see your GP.

Other symptoms include:

• seizures: severe (e.g. a convulsion) or mild (a fleeting disturbance of awareness, sensation or jerking muscles)

• weakness or paralysis in part of the body

• loss of balance

• general irritability, drowsiness or a change in personality

• nausea and vomiting

• disturbed vision, hearing, smell or taste

Causes of brain cancer

Some factors that can increase your risk of brain cancer include:

• some brain and spinal cord tumours are more common in people with certain inherited or genetic conditions

• people exposed to very high doses of radiation to the head

Diagnosis of brain cancer

If a brain tumour is suspected, the doctor may check how different parts of the brain are functioning by checking your reflexes, muscle strength, balance and coordination, ability to feel pin-pricks and to distinguish between hot and cold. An ophthalmoscope is used to view the optic nerve, which may bulge if the pressure in the skull is raised, for example by a tumour.

The main tests for brain cancer diagnosis are:

After a diagnosis of brain cancer

After finding out you have brain cancer, you may feel shocked, upset, anxious or confused. These are normal responses. A diagnosis of brain cancer affects each person differently. For most it will be a difficult time, however some people manage to continue with their normal daily activities.

Your specialist will arrange for a range of health professionals (multidisciplinary team) to plan your treatment. This will be based on several factors including the type, size, location and genetic make-up of the cancer as well as, your age and general health, the types of symptoms you have and your needs and preferences.

Find out more about the best cancer care for brain cancer (High-grade glioma):

What should happen next?

This resource can help guide you and your loved ones after your diagnosis. 

Guide to best care for brain cancer (High-grade glioma)

Treatment for brain cancer

Brain tumours may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or steroid therapy, or a combination of these treatments.

Some tumours can be removed completely by surgery (craniotomy). Post-operative radiotherapy improves local control and survival. For glioblastomas, temozolomide may be added during or after radiotherapy to further improve outcomes.

If a tumour cannot be removed, the aim of treatment is to slow growth and relieve symptoms by shrinking the tumour and any swelling around it. Treatment options include radiation therapy with or without temozolomide.

Treatment Team

• GP (General Practitioner) -

  looks after your general health and works with your specialists to coordinate treatment.

• neurologist -

  diagnoses and treats diseases of the brain and nervous system.

• neurosurgeon -

  uses surgery to treat brain diseases and injuries.

• Cancer nurse -

  assists with treatment and provides information and support throughout your treatment.

• Medical oncologist -

  prescribes and coordinates the course of chemotherapy.

• Radiation oncologist -

  prescribes and coordinates radiation therapy treatment.

• Other allied health professionals -

  such as social workers, pharmacists, and counsellors

Screening for brain cancer

There is currently no national screening program for brain cancer available in Australia.

Preventing brain cancer

There are no proven measures to prevent brain cancer.

Prognosis for brain cancer

Prognosis means the expected outcome of a disease. An individual's prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as their age and general health at the time of diagnosis.

For benign tumours that can be completely removed, cure is likely. For malignant tumours, outcomes depend on how slowly or quickly the tumour develops and responds to treatment.