What are the Most Common Brain Tumor Symptoms? – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Common brain tumor symptoms include:

Medically reviewed by Eudocia Q. Lee, MD, MPH and Lakshmi Nayak, MD

We asked neuro-oncologists Lakshmi Nayak, MD, and Eudocia Quant Lee, MD, MPH, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institutes Center for Neuro-Oncology, to review the red flags that warrant a medical follow up:

The takeaway message, Nayak says, is that new-onset headaches requiring medical assistance in an adult without prior history of headaches, change in quality or severity of headaches, in conjunction with new visual problems these would worry me. If someone says its the worst headache of their life, I would be suspicious. Also, if the headaches occur in someone who has an active cancer, those should be investigated further.

Some brain tumor symptoms may mimic symptoms of migraine headaches, Nayak notes, so that can be a tricky situation. However, most migraine patients have had the problem since childhood and are familiar with the headaches.

A stroke can also cause similar symptoms, but usually a stroke happens suddenly and without warning, while signs of a brain tumor appear more gradually.

Room spinning dizziness is a not a common brain tumor symptom and is more often related to an inner ear problem.

To rule out or diagnose a brain tumor, a person will undergo a neurological exam to test vision, hearing, balance, reflexes, arm and leg strength, and coordination. A CT or MRI scan is commonly used to image the brain for evidence of a tumor.

This information should be reassuring for people who fear the worst when they have a bad headache, because brain tumors are very uncommon. But if your symptoms resemble those listed above, see your doctor.

This article was originally published in 2013 and was medically reviewed again in 2019 for accuracy.

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What are the Most Common Brain Tumor Symptoms? - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute