Brain tumour

What is a brain tumour?

A brain tumour is an abnormal growth of cells that forms a mass within or around the brain tissue. These tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) and both types can cause significant symptoms.

Because the skull is rigid, any growth, whether benign (slow-growing) or malignant (fast-growing and invasive), can increase pressure and disrupt vital functions like movement, speech, or vision.

The most clinically important types include:

• Gliomas: The most frequent primary malignant tumours, ranging in severity up to glioblastoma (GBM).

• Meningiomas: Usually benign and slow-growing, these arise from the brain's protective membranes and are often found incidentally.

• Pituitary adenomas: Benign growths on the pituitary gland that can disrupt hormone production.

• Schwannomas: Benign tumours of the nerve sheaths, frequently affecting balance and hearing.

• Brain metastases: Secondary tumours that have spread to the brain from cancer elsewhere in the body; these are more common than primary brain tumours.

How do brain tumours affect the brain?

Your brain is your body’s control centre, responsible for memory, movement, emotions, and vital functions. A tumour, whether benign or malignant, can interfere with these processes by:

• Increasing pressure inside the skull (known as intracranial pressure)

• Disrupting electrical signals that allow brain cells to communicate

• Compressing or invading areas responsible for specific tasks like speech, vision, or balance

Understanding how these growths affect brain function is key. Not every tumour is cancer, but every one deserves timely evaluation.

Symptoms of a brain tumour

Brain tumour symptoms can be subtle at first and often overlap with common issues like migraines, stress, or fatigue. But when certain signs persist or worsen over time, they should never be ignored.

Common brain tumour symptoms include:

• Persistent or worsening headaches

• Nausea or vomiting (especially in the morning)

• Vision changes such as blurred or double vision

• Seizures (particularly if you’ve never had one before)

• Problems with speech or understanding language

• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body

• Balance or coordination difficulties

• Changes in mood, memory, or concentration

In some cases, brain tumours can also cause hormonal changes if they affect the pituitary gland, leading to fatigue, weight fluctuations, or irregular periods.

Because these symptoms can mimic many other conditions, early testing and imaging are essential for clarity and peace of mind.

What causes brain tumours?

There isn’t one single cause, but several factors can increase the risk of developing a brain tumour. These include:

• Genetic factors: neurofibromatosis (types 1 and 2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, and tuberous sclerosis all carry elevated brain tumour risk

• Previous radiation therapy (to the head or neck): the clearest established environmental cause

• Family history: a small proportion of brain tumours have a familial component

• Age: certain tumour types peak at specific ages; meningiomas are more common in older adults, while some gliomas are more common in middle age

• Immunosuppression: increases risk of certain brain lymphomas

For most people, the exact cause remains unknown. Brain tumours are relatively uncommon, but early detection significantly improves outcomes when they do occur.

How is a brain tumours detected?

Detection relies primarily on brain MRI, supported by blood tests that measure hormonal disruption or rule out metabolic mimics.

• Brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): MRI is the most sensitive tool for identifying masses, swelling, and structural abnormalities.

• CT scan (computed tomography): Often used in emergencies to identify masses or bleeding.

• Biopsy: If a tumour is found, a small tissue sample may be taken to determine its type and grade.

• Blood tests: These can’t diagnose a brain tumour directly but can rule out other causes and assess general health.

At Elfcare, we provide advanced brain imaging and lab testing. Our health checks help identify early neurological changes or warning signs that may need further medical evaluation.

Why early detection matters

Brain tumours don’t always cause symptoms right away, and when they do, it’s often because they’ve grown large enough to affect surrounding tissue. Detecting changes early offers substantially more treatment options and better outcomes.

Meningiomas found incidentally can be monitored or treated electively before they cause problems. Pituitary adenomas identified through hormonal disruption can be treated before they cause permanent visual or endocrine damage.

Malignant tumours, including gliomas and metastases, have significantly better prognosis when identified and treated at smaller sizes. A brain MRI that catches an asymptomatic finding can initiate a care pathway that fundamentally changes the outcome.

How Elfcare can help

Elfcare’s preventive health checks are designed to help you spot potential health issues early, including neurological warning signs that may warrant further testing.

Elfcare's full body MRI includes detailed brain imaging as a standard component, covering the entire brain, including the pituitary gland and posterior fossa. This can identify meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, schwannomas, incidental metastatic deposits, and other structural abnormalities, often before any symptoms develop.

Our blood panel supports the picture with a comprehensive hormonal profile, including cortisol, LH, FSH, testosterone, oestradiol, and full thyroid function, which can flag pituitary dysfunction even when MRI findings are subtle.

If our MRI or blood tests identify a suspicious finding, we take care of further diagnostics or refer you to the appropriate specialist.