Symptoms

People with a brain or spinal cord tumour have varying symptoms, depending on where the tumour is located. Sometimes, when a tumour grows slowly, symptoms develop gradually and are hardly noticeable. The symptoms can be similar to other illnesses, such as migraine pain or a stomach bug. Brain tumours and spinal cord tumours may cause weakness or paralysis in parts of the body.

Brain tumours

Other symptoms for brain tumours can include:

• Headaches
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Difficulty speaking or remembering words
• Disturbed vision, hearing, smell or taste
• General irritability or a change in personality – this is sometimes noticed only by family or friends
• Drowsiness

Spinal cord tumours

Symptoms for spinal cord tumours can include:

• Back and neck pain
• Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
• Clumsiness or difficulty walking
• Incontinence (loss of bowel or bladder control).