What is a growth in the brain?

Question

My love one just had the very first seizer and the I found out that he has a growth, But tht is all the doctor said. I want to know before I go back to the hospital what is a growth? (I will ask the doctor, but I want to look it up before I go back this afternoon) thank you in advance for your help.

Answer 1

The doctor can't be more specific, right now, because he doesn't know what the "growth" is. Doctors usually try to avoid the word "tumor," because that tends to scare people. But any growth in the brain is not normal, so by definition it is a tumor.

But what you need to realize is that not all tumors are cancer. Cancer spreads, benign tumors do not. They are confined to the area in which they are growing. That's not to say, that benign tumors are not a problem. Obviously, there is only so much room in your head, so any growth in the head is infringing on the brain and other important tissue.

What the doctor can do about this "growth," depends on where it is in the brain and your loved one's general health.

Good luck

Answer 2

Please see the web pages for more details on Brain tumor, Brain tumor-adults and Brain surgery.
A brain tumor is any intracranial tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, normally either found in the brain itself (neurons, glial cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells), lymphatic tissue, blood vessels), in the cranial nerves (myelin-producing Schwann cells), in the brain envelopes (meninges), skull, pituitary and pineal gland, or spread from cancers primarily located in other organs (metastatic tumors). Primary (true) brain tumors are commonly located in the posterior cranial fossa in children and in the anterior two-thirds of the cerebral hemispheres in adults, although they can affect any part of the brain.
Symptoms may include:
* Headache -- a persistent headache that is new for the person, worse on awakening
* Vomiting -- possibly accompanied by nausea; more severe in the morning
* Personality and behavior changes
* Emotional instability, rapid emotional changes
* Loss of memory, impaired judgment
* Seizures that are new for the person
* Reduced alertness
* Double vision, decreased vision
* Hearing loss
* Decreased sensation of a body area
* Weakness of a body area
* Speech difficulties
* Decreased coordination, clumsiness, falls
* Fever (sometimes)
* Weakness, lethargy
* General ill feeling
* Positive Babinski's reflex
* Decerebrate posture
* Decorticate posture
Additional symptoms that may be associated with primary brain tumors:
* Tongue problems
* Swallowing difficulty
* Impaired sense of smell
* Obesity
* Uncontrollable movement
* Dysfunctional movement
* Absent menstruation
* Hiccups
* Hand tremor
* Facial paralysis
* Eye abnormalities
o pupils different sizes
o uncontrollable movements
o eyelid drooping
* Confusion
* Breathing, absent temporarily
* Unusual or strange behavior

Answer 3

Basically it is a tumour. A mass of cells. Tumour can be benign or malignant (non cancerous and cancerus). Good luck and best wishes

Answer 4

a growth in the brain is a tumour. the doctor didn't say much more because he probably does't know what it is yet. it may be too early to tell.

Answer 5

It sounds like a tumor, but it can be benign or cancer. Wait for more tests. Good luck to you and him.