Brain Tumours

Question 1

What is a brain tumour?

Answer 1

Growth of cells
Benign or malignant
Primary or secondary
Supratentorial and infratentorial
Extrinsic or intrinsic

Question 2

Brain tumours are the commonest cause of cancer death under 40. True/False?

Answer 2

True

Question 3

How do brain tumours present?

Answer 3

Progressive neurological deficit (68%)
Motor weakness (45%)
Headache (54%)
Seizures (26%)

Question 4

What are the clinical signs of increased intracranial pressure?

Answer 4

Headaches
Vomiting
Mental changes
Seizures

Question 5

What causes increased intracranial pressure?

Answer 5

Haemorrhage
Blockage of CSF flow (hydrocephalus)
Tumour mass/oedema

Question 6

What are 4 herniations that might occur with a SOL?

Answer 6

Subfalcine herniation
Central herniation
Uncal transtenorial herniation
Tonsillar herniation

Question 7

What is the point of decompensation?

Answer 7

The brain can cope with some degree of raised intracranial pressure from a mass but when the volume of the mass becomes too big the ICP increases exponentially at the point of decompensation and results in herniation