Overview: brain tumour diagnosis and management/Royal College of Physicians guidelines

Abstract

Primary brain tumours, although numerically fairly uncommon (incidence 8/100 000 per year), have a major impact on family and working life as they are the most common solid tumour in children and the eighth most common cancer in people of working age.¹ Cerebral gliomas account for > 90% of primary brain tumours and are the fifth most common cause of death from cancer under the age of 65 years. They have a five year survival of only 18%. Patients with brain tumours are rare in general practice (four or five new cases in one general practitioner’s (GP’s) working lifetime), yet they remain a common concern of patients and GPs. Primary and secondary brain tumours present with similar symptoms and can be difficult to distinguish either clinically or by imaging. Usually, patients are referred to a physician or neurologist at their local major hospital. Brain imaging demonstrates an abnormality that could be a tumour. The patient may then be referred to a neurosurgeon.