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Brain Tumours: Overview, Types and Treatment

Primary and metastatic intracranial neoplasms: classification, presentation and multimodal therapy.

Written by: Saygı Hospital Health Guide Editorial Board
Last updated:

This content has been compiled by the Saygı Hospital Health Guide Editorial Board and is periodically reviewed by a specialist physician.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. You can book an appointment at our Onkoloji department. Book Appointment →

What is Brain Tumours: Overview, Types and Treatment?

Primary brain tumours arise from brain cells and meninges, classified by the 2021 WHO system based on histopathology and molecular markers (IDH mutation, 1p/19q codeletion, MGMT promoter methylation).

Most common primary tumours: meningiomas (38%), gliomas (24%), pituitary adenomas (16%) and schwannomas (8%); glioblastoma is the most aggressive primary subtype.

Metastatic brain tumours are 10 times more common than primary brain tumours and originate most often from lung, breast, melanoma, colon and renal cancers.

Symptoms

Headache: new-onset, progressive, worse in morning or with Valsalva, often associated with nausea or vomiting
Seizures: focal or generalised, especially in adult patients without prior history
Focal neurological deficit: weakness, sensory loss, aphasia, visual field defect, ataxia (depending on location)
Personality or cognitive change: memory loss, executive dysfunction, frontal lobe disinhibition
Symptoms of raised intracranial pressure: papilloedema, vomiting, altered consciousness, sixth nerve palsy
Endocrine dysfunction: amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea, acromegaly, Cushing syndrome (pituitary tumours)
Hearing loss, tinnitus and balance disturbance (vestibular schwannoma)

Risk Factors

Age: incidence increases throughout adulthood with two peaks (children and 60-80 years)
Ionising radiation exposure (therapeutic cranial radiation in childhood)
Genetic syndromes: neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2, Li-Fraumeni, Turcot, von Hippel-Lindau, tuberous sclerosis
Family history of brain tumour (small absolute risk)
Immunosuppression (CNS lymphoma)
Prior cancer history (metastatic risk)
Mobile phone use is not a confirmed risk factor in current evidence

When to See a Doctor?

If you experience any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention promptly:

  • New persistent headache with vomiting, focal symptoms or seizure requires urgent neuroimaging
  • First-time seizure in adult, especially focal seizure, warrants emergency evaluation
  • Progressive weakness, sensory loss, speech difficulty or visual change needs prompt neurology referral
  • Sudden altered consciousness, severe headache or focal deficit suggests intracerebral haemorrhage and is an emergency
  • Patients with known cancer developing new neurological symptoms need MRI with contrast to exclude metastases

Treatment Methods

01
Initial workup: contrast-enhanced MRI of brain (gold standard), CT for emergency assessment of haemorrhage or hydrocephalus
02
Tumour board (neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, pathology) coordinates management
03
Surgical resection: maximal safe resection improves survival in most primary tumours
04
Stereotactic biopsy when surgical resection is not feasible (e.g., brainstem, deep lesions)
05
Radiotherapy: external beam, intensity-modulated radiation therapy or stereotactic radiosurgery for selected lesions
06
Chemotherapy: temozolomide for high-grade gliomas, PCV for oligodendrogliomas, targeted therapy by molecular subtype
07
Tumour-treating fields (Optune) for glioblastoma combined with adjuvant temozolomide
08
Symptomatic management: corticosteroids for oedema, antiepileptics for seizures, palliative care for advanced disease
09
Brain metastases: stereotactic radiosurgery, whole-brain radiotherapy, surgical resection for selected patients, immunotherapy or targeted systemic therapy by primary tumour

Which Department to Visit?

You can visit our Onkoloji department for these complaints. Our specialist physicians will create the most suitable treatment plan for you.

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Health Disclaimer: The information on this page is prepared for general informational purposes only. It does not replace medical diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your physician for your complaints. Saygı Hospital does not accept responsibility for actions taken based on the information on this page.