Brain Tumours

Question 1

symptoms of a brain tumour

Answer 1

focal neurological deficit

• motor deficit
• sensory deficit
• dysphagia
• personality change

signs of raised ICP

• morning headache
• nausea + vomitting
• new onset seizures
• visual disturbance

Question 2

a change in personality suggests a lesion in what lobe of the brain

Answer 2

frontal lobe

Question 3

red flag symptoms of a headache that may suggest an underlying brain tumour

Answer 3

constant headache
nocturnal headache
worse on waking
worse on coughing/bending forward 
vomiting

Question 4

what is papilloedema

Answer 4

swelling of the optic disc secondary to raised ICP

Question 5

what cancers commonly metastasise to the brain

Answer 5

lung
breast
colorectal
prostate

Question 6

investigation of a suspected brain tumour

Answer 6

CT brain

MRI Brain/spine – look for metastasis

Question 7

most common type of malignant brain tumour

Answer 7

glioma

Question 8

types of glioma

Answer 8

1. ependyoma
2. oligodendroglioma
3. astrocytoma - glioblastoma multiforme = most malignant

Question 9

primary cerebral lymphomas are related to what

Answer 9

HIV

Question 10

what genetic condition increases risk of astrocytomas

Answer 10

tuberous sclerosis

Question 11

types of benign brain tumours

Answer 11

meningiomas
pituitary tumours
acoustic neuromas

Question 12

what is an acoustic neuroma

Answer 12

benign tumour of schwann cells surrounding vestibulochoclear (8th) cranial nerve

Question 13

symptoms of acoustic neuroma

Answer 13

hearing loss
tinnitus
balance problems

Question 14

bilateral acoustic neuromas are associated with what genetic condition

Answer 14

neurofibromatosis 2

Question 15

drug given to prolactin secreting pituitary tumours

Answer 15

bromocriptine

Question 16

drug given to growth hormone secreting pituitary tumours

Answer 16

octeotride

Question 17

pathological hallmark of glioblastoma

Answer 17

necrosis

Question 18

where are oligodendroglial tumours most commonly found

Answer 18

frontal lobe

Question 19

what is the most common CNS germ cell tumour

Answer 19

germinoma

Question 20

tumour marker for germinoma

Answer 20

PLAP

Question 21

treatment of germinoma

Answer 21

radiotherapy

Question 22

most common primary malignant brain tumour

Answer 22

glioblastoma multiforme

Question 23

lesion in temporal lobe gives what visual field defect

Answer 23

upper quadrantanopia

Question 24

lesion in parietal lobe gives what visual field defect

Answer 24

lower quadrantanopia