Symptoms associated with space-occupying masses such as tumors can range widely and some the greatest misconceptions exist regarding symptoms of cancer located in the brain. There are other oncological processes that occur within the brain aside from tumors as well, but the fact that brain tumors are the most readily identified with, it is the form most worrisome to persons experiencing symptoms.

Headaches are typically a very late-stage symptom of brain tumors, malignant or otherwise, resulting from compression due to limited space within the skull and other symptoms appear far earlier than this stage. Tinnitus or ringing in the ears is another common misconception about brain cancer and rarely exists as a warning sign of such disease.

The most common early signs are directly associated with the area of the brain whose function is being disrupted or affected by a malignant process. Any number of physical signs and symptoms may appear as a consequence, including disturbances of "gait," coordination, vision, sensation,physical tone, olfactory or sense of smell, behavior, autonomic function and a host of other functions that are rarely associated to brain cancer in the mind of the affected individual.

From a neurological standpoint, the specific constellation of symptoms, inclusive of other diagnostic criteria, are vitally necessary to making an initial diagnosis to be supported by imaging and biopsy studies. In other words, a neat and generalized short list of early warning signs of cancer within the brain does not exist. It is, however, within the category of the more rare cancers among the disease in general and the more common or typical underlying causes should be investigated fully prior to making any consideration of cancer at the level of the brain.

My husband was dx with glioblastoma multiforme , which is very rare about 15,000 people are dx with this type of brain cancer every year. However he didn't fit the "criteria very well. He was only 38. And He suffered from severe headaches for 6 months before going to see a doctor and schedule a physical. His physical was clean so he's doctors just thought his headaches were due to a slight rate in high blood pressure. One morning at 3 a.m. He awoke and said he felt like a daggar was being forced into his left eye and he needd to get to a hospital. That morning they gave him 3 months to live. About 3 months into his treatment from Duke University, he started having seisures, and he was fully awake when he was having them. He lived a total of 7 1/2 months total.

My mother was 17 in 1953 when she lost her 43 year-old dad to glioblastoma of the brain. My mom actually has the doctor's typewritten report on the type, size, findings during surgery, etc. Very interesting for such an old document, and the Dr. was at Emory University in Atlanta.

My mom has told me the story as if it were only yesterday because the experience has left an indelible mark in her memory. She said her father was a very smart, mechanical minded person who travelled the South repairing cotton gins for a living. During this time, he came in contact with asbestos, but at that time, I am not sure the dangers were clear. That may or may not have anything to do with his disease, but before the brain tumor was discovered, he had a melanoma removed from his chin. It had started out as a mole, but started changing after he was stung by what southerners call a "sweat bee".

Not long after the removal of the melanoma, he began having headaches, becoming dizzy, and smelling "odd" smells.

The antiquated xray's discovered the tumor, and an attempt was made to atleast reduce the size. When the skull was opened up, the mass exploded in size...almost grapefruit dimensions. The surgeon removed as much as he could, but said that quality of life would be zero. He never regained conciousness...only reaching his hand to the bandage a few times during the night, and succumbing before the morning.

This was devastating to my mother. She still cries when she tells me the story. Her Dad was her hero. To be 17 and watch your dad suffer this horrible death...hard to imagine.

As my "handle" implies, I am a brain cancer survivor. I am not a physician and don't pretend to give advice to anyone on this life-changing (or ending) malady.

My first symptom that something was seriously wrong was a seizure at O'Hare (Chicago) airport. We landed there to change planes and I don't remember getting off the airplane. I woke up in a Chicago hospital with no idea how I got there or what was wrong.

I had what was called a focal seizure that they attributed to a stroke. I was 54 at the time. I returned home where, after further testing, the diagnosis was a low-grade brain tumor. I had a biopsy (stealth) that confirmed this diagnosis. I was very fortunate as my neurosurgeon was wiling to refer me to UCSF (4th ranked neuro center in the U.S.) and I underwent surgery to remove the tumor that was located in my right frontal lobe. The surgeon expressed very high confidence that he got it all but the pathology report on the tumor raised the severity of the diagnosis.

The new diagnosis was Anaplastic Astrocytoma (World Health Organization (WHO) Grade III). This is a primary malignant brain tumor. I have completed radiation therapy and continue on chemotherapy. I am very optimistic and looking forward to getting back to work.

I agree with some of the comments above. There are over 200 types of brain cancer. It can be a primary brain tumor or can be caused by migration of cancer from other parts of the body. If you have any of the symptoms of brain cancer, I beg you to discuss them with your physician. This is not a disease that you can self-diagnose. Your doctor can give you simple neurological tests that can either reassure you or prompt you see a neurologist.

A close friend of mine was diagnosed with Brain Cancer, his only sympton was slight dizziness the day before. He left work feeling sick, began to have seizures, BAM they found a tumor. He was given 3 yrs. It has been 3 yrs 6 mos, and he is alive!! Chemo, surgery and an EXTREMELY positive attitude is the key to beating this.

My beautiful sister was only 43 when she was dx with glioblastoma, stage 4... the reason she went to the doctor was because she would be standing at work and her workers noticed that she would be leaning really bad to one side, it got so bad that she thought that maybe she had an artery or something clogged and boy was she wrong :( the doctor said it was a brain tumor and they went in to remove it and found that it was cancer, they got 95% of it and the 5% was imbedded into roots that would have effected her speech, it was the size of an egg, she lived 14 months, she was a christian woman so I know where she is and I'll see her again some day! God Bless, (God healed her by taking her out of this aweful world..) they called it: Left Neglect... just like if she turned the water on and it was the left knob? she would forget to turn it off... she would be starring at her right arm and you could ask whats wrong and it would be iching and she couldn't use her left arm.. she was so so sad, but she never complained, Cancer is such an ugly word.

Brain cancer is rather tricky and can have many symptoms. Headaches, ringing in th ears, distorted vision, gate problems, speech changes. In time, the body can shut down. We lost my sister of 43 to this distorting cancer.

My Dad was diagnosed with brain cancer in mid to late 98 I have no idea when because he never told us about it..in Dec. of 98 he suffered a mild stroke his health went downhill from there..his Dr. convinced him to have surgery we said no something told us it was not a good idea..he had the surgery when the Dr. opened up his skull the cancer spread throughout his entire body attacking everything..we were not told this could happen..he slipped into a coma and lasted for a week and on the day he was suppose to come home and begin his recovery he died..that day no one believes us, but my Mother and I was in the room with him and he told us he loved us and held our hands before slipping back into a coma for the last time..his Dr. told us it wasn't possible..we argued with him told him we know what we saw and heard no one else in our family believes us, but we don't care! My Dad died the day after his 74th Bday on March 23rd 1999..I miss him!! The day of his funeral my so called older Brother informed me I was adopted he got upset with me when I told him Daddy raised me and loved me when no one else wanted me so he was my Daddy adopted or not..that's right isn't it??

Although internet medical information can be dangerous, people who have survived this form of cancer or families who have lost love ones can add information to these sites that may be helpful to someone looking for answers. Maybe someones unprofessional comment(s) will help the person on the other side of the computer get up and go to a physician especially if they see symptoms that they are experiencing. Information is just that; tap into your common sense and go see a physician. never rely soley on these types of medical websites.

I am not a professional and I dont think that the complete reason for these posts are to answer fully the exact symptoms of cancer on a pro level. I believe it is a combination of other peoples experiences that are intended to help , concidering only a pro can answer the question for a charge. I know that my uncle has been diagnosed with tumors on the brain and the way they found his was very unusual. He started hearing voices due to the pressure placed on the certain part of the brain that causes this. The brain is so complex that even doctors are still studying the effects of pressure placed on the brain in different areas caused by various deseases or conditions. Everyone is individual thus causing individual symptoms.

Anonymous,

My wife is an RN of 24 years and knows a doctor's authoring when she sees it. You are in a very small minority if you think JCottleMD is not an MD due to the spelling of the word "gait". He is correct in spelling it "gait" and you are incorrect by spelling it "gaite". You need to get your facts in order before you insult someone.

You owe the doctor an apology. Are you man enough?

Well thank you, Dr. Cottle! That's exactly the kind of response we're looking for when we go online in search of answers.

I've learned quickly that the internet can be a dangerous place to go looking for answers to medical questions. So many people out there who have either had a problem or know of someone who has, wastes no time in thinking this association confers the medical training and experience necessary to answer questions by other people. This is very wrong and can even be dangerous in some instances where the person may not know the source providing the information.

I'm of the firm opinion that unless someone is a medically trained doctor, they should never fire off answers to medical questions as though they know the facts. It's one thing to offer support, but altogether a different thing to speak from the position of a medical doctor when the person has absolutely no qualified training or experience. Either go to medical school or pass the question, but don't answer medical questions that you have no training or licensure necessary to offer a qualified opinion.

thanks again Dr. Cottle

PROFSSIONALS DONOT ANSWER THIS ? IN THIS FORUM BECAUSE THEY DONOT CONSIDER THIS APPROPRIATE USE OF THEIR TIME AWAY FROM THE OFFICE. THEY ARE READING UPDATES ON THEIR SPECIALTIES. FAMILY COMMUNITY, RELIGION OCCUPY THEIR TIME AWAY FROM THEIR PRACTICE EXCEPT OF COURSE FOR THEIR GOLF DAY. CHERS

All of you who think MD mispelled "gait" are wrong. This is the correct spelling. Look it up in a dictionary. "Gait", a way of walking, running, or moving along on foot. There is no such word as "gaite"!

choroid plexus carcinoma

I am not a professional. I can only give my own personal account of a loved one that battled brain cancer. The above cancer stated is quite horrible and aggressive. But then again what cancer isn't ? My two year old daughter ( Cielo ) had this cancer for 11 months before it took her life. Even after surgery and chemo this cancer spread down her spine after a spinal tap. One tumor ended up as 7 three in her head and four down her spine. Don't believe me check it out for your self. www.caringbridge.org/ga/cielo/ You can't make this stuff up!

Anonymous Caring.com community member you posted and let me quote

"I've learned quickly that the internet can be a dangerous place to go looking for answers to medical questions. So many people out there who have either had a problem or know of someone who has, wastes no time in thinking this association confers the medical training and experience necessary to answer questions by other people" then u went to thank JCottleMD on his/her answer. I guess u based the thanks on his/her DR. and its the anwer u want to hear but how do u know he/her is a DR/MD. could be someone like u said wastes no time in thinking this association confers the medical training and experience necessary to answer questions by other people.Dont believe just because of the MD. at the end of thier name meen thier a doctor,could be someone who "wastes no time in thinking this association confers the medical training and experience necessary to answer questions by other people".

it is most amazing to me that people can actually think we got here scientifically, there has to be someone in a higher form like god , we are not capable of things like that and gods plan does involve people to make there own plan to come to this realm or whatever you want to call it and learn some lessons and i guess suffering (of cancer) is one of them lessons, i'm sure the people are goood who get it , but how would we be here if the creator didn't make us( to start i mean) , i'm sorry i guess i got off the beaten track of the whole thing i don't really have a story on the cancer so don't publish if you don't want to but i am sorry for all the sufferers of it i pray always and they will be in my prayers, thank you and sorry

Come on..Who are the people (person) answering these questions. ? Every day lay people or professionals?. My guess would be every day lay people considering they must not know the definition of the word " gaite". It was misspelled so to me that means the answerer is guessing. Why can't these answers be given by professionals.?

this is to oh please, where do you think you will go when you die, because if you are wrong you will suffer an eternity in hell, if you are right which i know you are not you have nothing to lose. you better be on the safe side and give your whole life to Jesus Christ my Lord and savior. I have seen to many prayers answered in my own life not to give my whole life to him.

Um, the reason professions dont answer is they are NOT being paid to do so.

And it never ceases to amaze me how religious people think that they will see someone in heaven...dont think God gave them cancer for a reason eh? to suffer and die? And you want THAT god as your savior? Please people do grow up.

I dont have an answer to the topic,howeverI have some answers to tia1234 :sheol (hebrew)translates "abode of the dead"In (english)hell is where all activity is ceased Ecclesiastes 9:5 "for the living they know that they will die, but the dead know nothing....for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in sheol, to which you are going" There is no suffering there, thats why the patriarch Job begged God "Protect me in Hell" (sheol)Job 14:13 What meaning would there be for Job to go there if it was a place of torment? What crime however horrible could cause a God of love to torment a person endlessly? 1John 4"8 /compare bible verses PS 146:3,4/Acts 2:25-27/Romans6:7,23 God does not punish people in Hell