- Types of tumors depending on cancer spread
- Signs of brain cancer depending on location of a tumor
- Symptoms of brain cancer stages 1-4
- Symptoms of the advanced brain cancer
Peculiarities of brain cancer do not allow determine distinct symptoms according to the stages. In most of the cases, a patient can notice signs when cancer is at stage 4.
There is the only general brain cancer classification of symptoms based on the location of a tumor:
- strong permanent headache (especially, in the morning, painkillers do not help);
- nausea and vomiting
- dizziness.
Focal symptoms are caused by tumor growth in a certain region of the brain. It influences on the mechanism of the disease development.
According to the location, all the tumors are divided into:
- neurinomas are called tumors of the cranial nerves;
- cancer, formed from cells of the glandular tissue - adenomas of the pituitary gland;
- cancer derived from cells of the meninges - meningiomas.
Since each brain region is responsible for the activity of the corresponding organs and controls the specific body systems, specific symptoms often become more noticeable with the development of the disease.
Specific features of cancer which appear depending on the tumor location:
Cerebellum. The difficulty of maintaining of balance and complexity with fine motor skills.
Frontal lobe. Changes in judgments, loss of initiative, weakness in the muscles or paralysis.
Occipital or temporal lobes. Partial or complete loss of vision.
Frontal and temporal lobes. Changes in speech, hearing, memory, or emotional state. The manifestation of aggression, problems with understanding or "selection" of words.
Frontal and parietal lobe. Distortion of sensations from touch or pressure, weakness in the limbs on one side of the body, a patient confuses the left and right side of the body.
Pineal gland. Inability to look up.
Pituitary. Changes in menstruation in women, as well as the growth of arms and legs in adults..
Brainstem. Difficulties in swallowing, weakness of facial muscles or numbness, double vision.
The temporal, occipital lobe or brainstem. A change in perception, a deterioration in vision or a partial loss of it, a duplication of the image.
Symptoms and specific features of brain cancer by staging:
Brain cancer stage 1
At the first stage of brain cancer, a small number of cells are affected. It grows slowly, and in most of the cases (with early diagnosis), there is a great chance for successful surgical intervention. The problem is that the obvious symptoms may be absent or extremely mild. Among them are: a constant headache, fatigue, dizziness.
Brain cancer stage 2
At the second stage of brain cancer, the development of neoplasm is still slow, but the process already affects neighboring tissues, the intracranial pressure increases. Again, an operation is possible. Symptoms can be more vivid. In addition to the first symptoms, convulsions and nausea appear.
Brain cancer stage 3
The third stage of brain cancer is a danger to the patient's health. The tumor grows rapidly and spreads into neighboring structures. The surgery at this stage is already dangerous and inefficient. Symptoms are the following: nystagmus, vision and hearing problems, epileptic seizures and convulsions, memory and behavior disorders, vestibular apparatus dilatation.
Brain cancer stage 4
Brain cancer at the fourth stage is the most dangerous, inoperable and does not respond to treatment. The tumor develops very rapidly. At this stage, palliative techniques, medication, and radiation treatment are used to slow the progression of the disease. At a late stage of cancer development, the functioning of all vital processes is disrupted, the patients fall into a coma, and then - die.
Symptomatic of the last stage of brain cancer:
- impaired motor functions (paralysis);
- disturbance of coordination of movements, change of gait;
- a partial or complete visual impairment;
- loss of sensitivity to external stimuli;
- deterioration or complete loss of hearing (with compression of the auditory nerve);
- in some situations, the speech recognition functions are disrupted;
- loss of intelligible speech;
- hormonal imbalance;
- seizures of epilepsy;
- memory impairment.