Doctors aren’t able to name the causes of brain tumors; they are only able to name some factors that might put you at risk to develop one, based on their studies. These risk factors give you an increased chance of developing brain cancer. In most cases there is no clear cause.

  • Brain tumors develop most often in men
  • Brain tumors develop more often if you are white
  • Most brain tumors are detected in men over 70
  • Family history of a brain tumor makes you more likely to develop one
  • You are more at risk if you have been exposed to radiation
  • You are more at risk if you’ve been exposed to Formaldehyde, Vinyl chloride or Acrylonitrile
Scientists continue to study other factors that may put you at risk for a brain tumor, such as cell phone use, or head injuries. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer related deaths in people younger than 35
It’s good for you to know that not many people who have the risk factors develop brain tumors, and many people do develop it without the risk factors. For now, scientists will continue to look for more causes. If you think you are at risk, be sure and consult with your doctors and develop a strategy for prevention.





You doctor will give you a thorough physical including a neurological exam that covers muscle strength, coordination, reflexes, and how you respond to pain. You’ll receive a CT scan or MRI to get a series of detailed pictures of your head. He will look at your eyes to see if there is any swelling in the optic nerve that might be caused by a tumor pressing on it. Depending on your symptoms, the doctor may order an angiogram, skull x-ray, myelogram, biopsy, or spinal tap, but only after the other test results are back.
If you are diagnosed with a brain tumor, you may be referred to a surgeon who can do a biopsy of the tumor. There are different types of biopsies. With a needle biopsy, the surgeon drills a small hole in the skull, called a burr hole. He puts a needle through the hold and extracts a sample of the tissue from the brain tumor. A Stereotactic biopsy is a needle biopsy in which an imaging device guides the needle through to the location of the tumor and the doctor extracts the tissue with the needle. When the tumor needs to come out regardless of if it is cancer or not, the surgeon will wait until the patient has the tumor removed and then has it tested.
The biopsy will determine if the tumor is malignant or benign. A benign tumor can usually be removed and won’t grow back. It will rarely become malignant. The edge can be seen clearly and the tissue of the tumor does not normally move to other parts of the body. Location has a lot to do with how a benign tumor is treated. If it is pressing on sensitive areas of the brain, it might be dangerous to operate, or it can cause other serious problems.





A malignant tumor contains cancer cells and is much more life threatening. They are known to rapidly grow into the surrounding brain tissue. Cancer cells occur when one type of cell transforms from it's normal characteristics. They grow and multiply into a tumor. Cancer cells can metastasize, which means it can spread to other parts of the body. This happens when cancer cells break away from the original tumor. A brain tumor will more likely spread to other parts of the brain, or the spinal cord than to other parts of the body. If it does not spread to other tissue, it is called an encapsulated tumor, and is usually contained by the bones of the skull.
A brain tumor can be either primary or secondary. If the tumor begins in the brain tissue, they are primary. They are named as the part of the brain they begin. The most common is the Gliomas, which begin in the glioma cells. There are many types of gliomas; the most common ones are astrocytoma, brain stem glioma, ependymoma, and oligodendroglioma.
The Medulloblastoma tumor begins in the cerebellum and is the most common brain tumor for children. The Meningioma begins in the meninges and grows slowly. The Craniopharyngioma begins in the brain near the pituitary gland. This type of cancer most often occurs in children. A Germ Cell tumor comes from a germ cell in the brain. It’s most common in people under the age of 30. A pineal region tumor is very rare and begins near the pineal gland, between the cerebellum and the cerebrum.




A secondary brain tumor does not start in the brain. It begins in another part of the body and the cells break off and spread to the brain. These are also called metastatic tumors. Secondary tumors are more common than primary brain tumors.
The most common symptoms of brain tumors are

In the frontal lobe:
  • Behavioral Changes
  • Emotional Changes
  • Lose sense of smell
  • Loss of memory
  • one side of the body may be paralyzed
  • reduced cognitive function
  • Inflammation of the optic nerve
A tumor in the Parietal Lobe:
  • Changes in speech
  • Doesn’t recognize people
  • Seizures
  • Spatial Disorders
  • Can't write
A tumor in the Occipital Lobe will cause the loss of vision, and cause seizures.

A tumor in the brainstem:
  • Changes in mood or personality
  • Headaches that are usually worse in the morning
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Changes in hearing
  • Drowsiness
  • Muscle weakness
  • Drooping eyelid and changes in vision
A tumor of the Meninges:
  • Headache
  • Changes in hearing, speech, and vision
  • Incontinence
  • Prolonged drowsiness
  • Seizures
  • Mental and emotional changes



If the cancer has metastased from another part of the body, it can go to any of the brain tissue so any of the above symptoms can result. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor. These symptoms could signal another diagnosis, but only a doctor can make that determination.