Brain tumors are one of the most deadly forms of cancer, but not everyone knows their key signs. The symptoms depend on the location of the tumors in the brain and can often be overlooked in the early stages of the disease, when treatment is easier. They can easily be confused with other conditions, so it is important to know what to watch for.
1. **Rapid Anger**
Changes in personality can be an early warning sign of brain tumors, as one in three patients experiences this change, according to the Brain Tumor Charity. The illness can make individuals feel angry more easily, as well as aggressive, confused, or forgetful. Symptoms can also include loss of motivation, depression, anxiety, mood swings, and difficulty planning, organizing, or identifying emotions. As the tumor grows, it can press on surrounding brain cells, affecting their function. Personality changes are more common when the tumor is in the frontal lobe, which controls personality and emotions.
2. **Growth Spurts**
Brain tumors can affect the pituitary gland, a part of the brain that produces hormones, including those that trigger growth. In rare cases, this means that brain cancer can cause people to grow taller rapidly. The unusual symptoms can be particularly subtle in children, who are expected to have sudden growth spurts during adolescence as part of puberty. Tumors can also cause other hormonal changes such as delayed puberty, changes in menstrual cycles, increased libido, or unexplained weight gain or loss, according to brain tumor research.
3. **Difficulty Expressing Through Facial Expressions**
The illness can also lead to nerve damage, making patients struggle to use facial expressions. They may not be able to smile, frown, or move their faces naturally while speaking. Nerve paralysis can also result in the face being fixed in a certain position or causing weakness or drooping on one side.
4. **Hearing Voices in the Head**
Some brain cancers can cause symptoms that may seem more related to mental health issues than a physical illness. Tumors in the temporal lobe can cause individuals to hear voices in their heads, according to Cancer Research UK.
5. **Difficulty Reading**
The illness often affects patients' brain functions, thereby impacting their ability to think or read. Dr. Donald O'Rourke, a neurosurgeon at "Penn Medicine," states that this symptom is particularly common with tumors in the midbrain. He explained that "the two hemispheres of the brain are connected to perform functions like thinking, writing, and remembering, and when the tumor disrupts this communication, it can be devastating," leading to more difficulties in writing or understanding the meaning of speech, even if the patient can read it clearly.
6. **Frequent Urination Needs**
Brain tumors can cause changes in the endocrine system, a network of glands and organs that use hormones to control a range of body functions. In some cases, this can lead individuals to feel the need to go to the bathroom more frequently, according to the Brain Tumor Charity. The tumor can also cause fatigue, cold sensitivity, thirst, diabetes, reduced fertility, and impotence. Tumors in the spinal cord can also lead to urinary incontinence in some cases.
