Brain tumours Flashcards
What is the most common extra axial tumour type, and are they benign or malignant?
Meningioma Usually benign
What are the common presentations of brain tumours?
Progressive neruological deficit
Usually motor weakness
Headache
Seizures (Suggest tumour is small in size
How does increased intracranial pressure cause hydrocephalus?
By blocking CSF flow between ventricles or the spinal column
Symptoms of increased ICP
Headache
Vomiting (Due to pressure on medulla)
Mental changes
Seizures
Which feature of a headache is a red flag symptom?
If they are woken up by the headache
What causes Cushing’s triad and what physiological effects does this cause?
Increased ICP leading to medulla oblongata being compressed into foramen magnum
Causes bradycardia, systolic hypertension and irregular respiration
When is Lumbar puncture contraindicated?
In the event that a tumour is suspected, a scan should be carried out first
How are astrocytic tumours classified
- Pilocytic, pleomorphic/subependymal giant cell
- Low grade astrocytoma
- Anaplastic astrocytoma
- Glioblastoma multiforme
Features of grade 1 astrocytomas and treatment?
- Benign
- Slow growing
- Children and young adults
- Surgery
Low grade astrocytomas poor prognostic factors?
Age > 50 Focal deficit Short duration symptoms Raised ICP Altered consciousness Enhancement on contrast studies
Treatment of grade II astrocytomas?
Surgery +/- chemo or radio or both
What is the most common primary brain tumour?
Glioblastoma multiforme (Grade IV)
Treatment of malignant grade III and IV tumours
Surgery (Noncurative, survival quality)
Side effects of radiotherapy?
Drop IQ by 10, skin and hair problems, fatigue
How do oligodendroglial tumours present, and in which age range, and which part of the brain do they affect?
Seizures
Adults 25-45
Frontal lobe
Treatment of oligodendroglial tumours?
Chemosensitive
Surgery + Chemo
Now known that RT + Procarbazine doubles survival
Features and symptoms of meningioma?
Benign (90%) and slow growing
Headaches
Skull base causing cranial nerve neuropathies
Regional anatomical disturbances
Treatment of meningioma?
Pre op embolisation
Surgery
Radiotherapy
Symptoms of vestibular schwannomas (CN VIII)
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Dysequilibrium
Management of Acoustic neuromas?
Medically by hearing aid and epriodic neuro exam and MRI
Surgically
Which age range commonly get affected by germ cell tumours?
10-12 years old
