Reviewed personally by Dr. Sunkara · Written for Brain Tumour · Updated September 2026
Quick Answer
A brain tumour is an abnormal mass of cells growing inside the skull, either forming there directly or spreading from cancer elsewhere in the body. Some grow slowly and stay contained; others invade surrounding tissue quickly. Not every brain tumour is cancer. Its type, grade, location and size all matter.
Most people hear "brain tumour" and picture the worst possible outcome, but here's what a neurosurgeon actually checks first: not whether it's there, but what kind of cells it might be made of. It forms when cells in or around the brain start dividing faster than they should, crowding space the brain needs. Where it sits and how fast it grows matter more than the word itself, and that's the part most people never get explained to them.
Brain tumours can appear at any age, in children and adults alike. Many patients arrive expecting to hear "surgery" right away; often, especially with small or slow-growing tumours, the plan starts with watching and rescanning instead. Not every one needs surgery.
Your scan report will usually name one of these five types. Some are benign and slow-growing, others malignant, and knowing which you have shapes every decision after.
A single headache or a moment of forgetfulness rarely means a tumour. Most people with these symptoms have something far more common, like tension headaches or stress. What matters is how symptoms behave over time, not any one episode.
Seek Immediate Care If You Also Have:
01
Dr. Sunkara checks vision, coordination, reflexes, and mental status to map which part of the brain might be affected, before any scan confirms what's actually there.
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An MRI scan, usually with a contrast dye, is the key test that shows a tumour's size, location, and how it's affecting the surrounding brain tissue.
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A tissue sample, taken during surgery or a separate biopsy, is examined under a microscope to grade the tumour from 1 to 4 and guide treatment.
Surgery is usually the first step here, not the last resort it is elsewhere, and it's rarely as frightening as people expect.
Small, symptom-free, slow-growing tumours are sometimes simply monitored with scheduled MRIs rather than treated right away.
Removes as much of the tumour as safely possible, often the first step for tumours causing symptoms or pressure inside the skull.
See Brain Tumor Surgery →Delivers precisely focused radiation to a tumour without an incision, often used when a tumour is small or hard to reach surgically.
See Stereotactic Radiosurgery →Removes a tumour from the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, most often through the nose rather than through an opening in the skull.
It depends almost entirely on the type and grade, so there's no single honest answer that fits every patient. Many benign, low-grade tumours are effectively cured with surgery alone. Higher-grade tumours are usually managed as a long-term condition instead.
Life continues after a diagnosis, and daily habits shape how well it goes.
FOLLOW-UP SCANS
Regular MRIs, even years after successful treatment, catch any regrowth early, while it's still small and much easier to manage without surgery.
SEIZURE PRECAUTIONS
Anti-seizure medication, driving restrictions, and simple home safety steps matter if seizures were part of your history.
MANAGING FATIGUE
Fatigue after surgery or radiation is common and improves gradually; pacing activity helps more than pushing through it.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Counselling or a support group helps many patients and families process a diagnosis that upends daily life overnight.
What type and grade of brain tumour do I actually have?
Is surgery necessary now, or can we watch and scan first?
What are the risks of the specific surgery you're recommending?
Will I need radiation or chemotherapy after surgery, and why?
How often will follow-up scans happen, and for how long?
A second opinion on your scans can confirm the plan before you commit to it.
A brain tumour is an abnormal growth of cells in or around the brain, either starting there or spreading from cancer elsewhere. Not every brain tumour is cancerous.
Book a consultation with Dr. Sunkara to discuss your scan, or start with a second opinion if surgery has already been recommended elsewhere.
Written & reviewed by Dr. Raveesh Sunkara, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon & Spine Surgeon · Last updated September 2026 · Next review due March 2027