“Some patients may become apathetic, with a lack of initiative and a loss of vitality.”
Every year in France, nearly 6,000 people discover that they have a brain tumor. These are rare but progressive cancers. In the beginning, there is a whole period where the brain tumor may go unnoticed and be discovered incidentally during an MRI. For brain tumors called low-grade “gliomas,” the tumor grows slowly and will go unnoticed for 5, 10 years, or even more. For brain tumors that progress more quickly, the brain is less able to withstand the development of the tumor, which leads to symptoms more quickly.
The most common manifestation of a brain tumor is “intracranial hypertension, which is when there is too much pressure in the head, which causes unusual, intense headaches that get worse and are not relieved by standard painkillers. It can also lead to visual disturbances (blurred or “double” vision, nausea and vomiting, preferably in the morning).“, immediately describes Professor François Ducray, neuro-oncologist and president of the Association of French-speaking Neuro-Oncologists.
The second clinical manifestation of a brain tumor is linked to a neurological deficit which gradually sets in. “The deficit depends on the location of the tumor. All brain functions can be affected: it can be a motor deficit, with a reduction in the strength of a limb or paralysis, sensitivity disorders, language, speech or speech disorders, etc.“, lists our interlocutor.
The third mode of revelation is the appearance of epileptic seizures. “There are two types: the complete epileptic seizure where the person falls and loses consciousness as well as the partial epileptic seizure (when there is only part of the brain that is irritated) where the person may have, transiently , abnormal arm movements, tenderness, or absences“, explains the neuro-oncologist. A brain tumor can sometimes give more insidious and complex signs such as changes in behavior or character. “For example, some patients may become apathetic, with a lack of initiative and a loss of vitality. This can be tricky because it can easily be confused with burnout or depression and lead to a delay in diagnosis.“.
It is the context in which the symptoms appear and their persistence that will lead to consultation. For example, if someone who has never had a headache begins to have headaches that are really unusual and last, they should be consulted. The first-line examination is brain MRI. “You should also not panic and think the worst in the event of a headache. LBrain tumors remain rare pathologies, but imaging is important if symptoms are unusual“.