Headaches are common, but they can sometimes be an important warning signal from the brain. If a headache shows a new pattern, is severe in the morning, or is accompanied by vomiting, the possibility of a brain tumor should be considered. (Credit: Getty Images)
Headaches are among the most common symptoms, but they can sometimes be an important warning sign from the brain.
If a headache persists with a pattern different from before, or if it is particularly severe in the morning and accompanied by vomiting, the possibility of a brain tumor should be considered.
Symptoms of brain tumors vary depending on their location. The most common symptom is headache, and increased intracranial pressure may lead to nausea and vomiting. If the motor cortex is affected, patients may experience weakness in the arms or legs or difficulty walking. Tumors near language centers can cause slurred speech or impaired comprehension.
Pressure on the optic nerve may result in narrowed visual fields or double vision. A first-time seizure in adulthood should also prompt evaluation for a brain tumor. In some cases, symptoms such as memory decline, personality changes, and reduced concentration—often mistaken for dementia or depression—may be early signs.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for accurate diagnosis. While computed tomography (CT) is useful in emergency situations to detect major lesions or bleeding, MRI is necessary to assess the tumor’s location, extent, and its relationship with surrounding nerves and blood vessels. Additional tests such as PET-CT, cerebral angiography, functional MRI, and biopsy may be performed as needed.
Treatment is determined based on the tumor’s type, location, size, growth rate, and the patient’s age and overall health.
The primary treatment is surgical removal. Surgery plays a key role in safely removing as much of the tumor as possible, relieving symptoms, and obtaining an accurate pathological diagnosis. Recent advances—including precision navigation surgery, microscopic surgery, endoscopic-assisted procedures, intraoperative neuro-monitoring, and awake brain surgery—have helped minimize damage to normal brain tissue.
One treatment that has gained increasing importance is radiosurgery. Despite its name, radiosurgery does not involve incisions. It uses highly precise equipment—such as Gamma Knife, CyberKnife, and linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery—to deliver high doses of radiation directly to the tumor. The goal is to control tumor growth or reduce its size while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy brain tissue.
Radiosurgery is a key option for tumors that are small or located deep within the brain where open surgery is risky, as well as for residual tumors after surgery, recurrent tumors, and multiple metastatic brain tumors. It is used for various conditions, including meningiomas, vestibular schwannomas, pituitary adenomas, and brain metastases. In some cases, it may be used as a standalone treatment or as an adjunct following surgery.
However, if the tumor is too large, associated with significant brain edema, or requires a definitive tissue diagnosis, surgery may take priority—making specialist judgment crucial.
Although brain tumors are not easily preventable, early detection is possible. If unexplained neurological symptoms persist—such as unusual headaches, repeated vomiting, visual disturbances, seizures, limb weakness, speech difficulties, personality changes, or memory decline—medical evaluation should be sought promptly. Patients with a history of cancer should also consider the possibility of metastatic brain tumors.
Professor Cho Sung-jin (Courtesy of Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital Seoul)
“Many people neglect symptoms due to the perception that brain tumors are incurable, but depending on the type of tumor and the timing of detection, they can be sufficiently treatable," said Professor Cho Sung-jin of the Department of Neurosurgery at Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital Seoul. "With recent advances in microsurgery, navigation-guided surgery, awake procedures, and precision radiosurgery such as Gamma Knife and CyberKnife, we are now able to provide safer and more effective personalized treatments.”
Professor Cho added, “If persistent and new neurological symptoms appear, they should not be dismissed as simple fatigue or stress. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial. The goal of brain tumor treatment is not only to eliminate the tumor, but also to help patients maintain their daily lives and quality of life as much as possible.”
Kim Kyoung-Won
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