The Most Common Brain Tumor: Symptoms And Types

There have been around 120 different types of brain tumors, cysts, and lesions known to date in today’s world. They all are differentiated based on the kind of cell they are made with or the location of where they arise. Some of the tumors might be benign (noncancerous), while some are malignant (cancerous). But certain brain tumor types might have a 50/50 chance of being cancerous.

What is a Brain Tumor?

A collection of abnormal cells or mass in the brain is known as a brain tumor. The skull, which is present outside the brain and encloses it, is very rigid. Any extra growth in between such a small place can cause multiple problems.

Most Common Types and Symptoms of Brain Tumor

Meningioma

The most common brain tumor type is meningioma which accounts for around 30% of all the types of tumors in the brain. It originates within the meninges. The three outer layers of tissue are used to protect and cover the brain exactly underneath the skull. Men have fewer cases of meningioma in comparison to women. Almost all of them grow slowly and are noncancerous tumors.

The symptoms and signs of brain tumors start occurring slowly and might be very subtle initially. The symptoms may involve the following:

• Loss of smell
• Headaches, worst especially in the morning
• Memory loss
• Language difficulties
• Ringing in the ears or hearing loss
• Seizures
• Changes in vision can see blurry or double
• Weakness in legs and arms

Pituitary adenoma

A brain tumor type that grows inside the gland tissue is known as a Pituitary adenoma. It grows quite slowly from the pituitary gland. Around 10% of the total brain tumors are identified as adenomas in today’s world. They can cause several issues, such as endocrinological and vision issues. The people affected by this condition can get treatment with medications and surgery to be well as adenoma is benign.

Symptoms of brain tumor – Pituitary adenoma includes the following:

• Sudden weight gain
• Menstrual irregularities
• Headaches
• Lactation
• Vision issues
• Heat intolerance
• Changes in bone structure, especially in the bones of the face and hands
• Erectile dysfunction
• Easy bruising or bleeding

Craniopharyngioma

It is a type of tumor that grows near the pituitary gland area. It appears to be a cyst or solid tumor. They can also cause issues with endocrinology and vision, just like the adenomas. The craniopharyngioma often causes several problems because it presses blood vessels, nerves, or other brain parts near the pituitary gland. This brain tumor type is usually found in children and teens. It is also found in adults over the age of 50.

It starts putting pressure on the blood vessels, nerves, and brain tissues as it progresses and increases. So it results in the following multiple symptoms:

• Headache
• Vision problems
• Balancing issues
• Nausea and vomiting
• Mood swings, confusion, or sudden changes in the behaviour
• Slow growth in children
• Increase in thirst and urinating more than usual

Hemangiopericytoma

Hemangiopericytoma is a brain tumor which can be malignant or benign. It is a skull base tumor which is usually rare. It also involves the blood vessels in the brain. Most of them are found in the soft tissues of the pelvic area, neck, legs, and neck. At the same time, some of them might occur in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity.

These tumors might be present for a long time without feeling any symptoms because it grows in the regions that are mostly moveable and elastic. The symptoms of brain tumors depend on the location of occurrence, whether they can spread or already spread, and their size. Hemangiopericytoma can be felt as pain or difficulty in roaming, limping, swelling, neurological and lung issues.

Germ cell tumors

While the normal development of a foetus and an embryo, germ cells mainly get converted into sperm in the male and eggs in the female body. But they might get converted to a tumor if the germ cell mistakenly travels to the brain. These cell tumors can either be malignant or benign. There are multiple types of germ cell tumors, such as Yolk sac tumors, germinomas, teratomas, and embryonal carcinomas. It usually occurs during puberty and affects males more than females.

As the tumor starts growing, a mass or lump can be felt. It starts pressing against the organs in the body and causes several symptoms. It depends on the area where the tumor is located and causes symptoms such as:

• If the tumor presses nerves at the bottom of the spine, leg weakness can be felt.
• Trouble in holding pee or constipation if the tumor is located in the pelvis region.
• Occurrence of a testicle with unusual size and shape.

The Bottom Line

Seeking early treatment can help people from preventing more complications while having a tumor. The proper treatment of benign brain tumor types often leads to a successful task. It can also help prevent malignant tumors from spreading to the other parts of the brain. People with brain tumor symptoms should immediately consult medical advice from doctors or neurosurgeons. People seeking proper neurosurgical assistance or advice visit the website.