Glioma Brain Tumor Symptoms

A glioma is a type of tumor that arises from glial cells in either the brain or spine. Because these structures are so complex, the symptoms can vary dramatically depending on the location of the glioma. While some symptoms make discovering and localizing the tumor easy, other symptoms are easy to overlook or ignore for quite some time.

Identification

• The most common symptoms are headache, seizures, personality changes, changes in memory or concentration and symptoms caused by pressure in the brain.

Significance

• Pressure in the brain can increase the intracranial pressure because of the tumor pressing on the brain itself or from the tumor blocking the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

Features

• Changes in intracranial pressure can lead to symptoms that are vague initially, including things like nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, double vision and sleepiness.

Considerations

• A brain tumor can produce symptoms that give hints about its location, such as decreased coordination, paralysis on one side, issues with hearing or vision or speech problems.

Types

• Types of gliomas include astrocytomas (including glioblastoma multiforme), ependymomas, oligodendrogliomas and mixed gliomas, which consist of two or more of these cell types.