Six red flag symptoms as Davina McCall undergoes surgery after brain tumour diagnosis
by Elaine Blackburne · ChronicleLiveTV personality Davina McCall has disclosed that she is set to undergo a surgical procedure to remove a brain tumour, discovered during a routine health examination.
The versatile star, known for her roles ranging from Big Brother host to judge on the Masked Singer, shared her concerns via Instagram, yet managed to share a laugh with partner Michael Douglas while discussing her situation.
She revealed that the tumour was detected during a standard check-up, which she received in exchange for delivering a talk on menopause to a company.
Despite the tumour being benign, she mentioned that she had been advised that leaving the 14mm growth could potentially lead to complications if it were to increase in size.
What exactly is a brain tumour and how can you identify them? As per NHS guidelines, there are two categories of brain tumours - non-cancerous (benign), like Davina's, or cancerous (malignant), , reports Gloucestershire Live.
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What is a brain tumour?
A brain tumour refers to an abnormal proliferation of cells within the brain that multiply in an uncontrolled manner. Brain tumours are classified based on their rate of growth and the likelihood of recurrence post-treatment.
Tumours of grade 1 and 2 are considered low grade, whereas grade 3 and 4 tumours are high grade.
There are primarily two types of brain tumours:
- non-cancerous (benign) brain tumours – these are low grade (grade 1 or 2), which means they grow slowly and are less likely to return after treatment
- cancerous (malignant) brain tumours – these are high grade (grade 3 or 4) and either start in the brain (primary tumours) or spread into the brain from elsewhere (secondary tumours); they're more likely to grow back after treatment
Brain tumour symptoms
The symptoms associated with a brain tumour can vary greatly, depending on the specific region of the brain affected. Common symptoms include:
- headaches
- seizures (fits)
- persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness
- mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality
- progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- vision or speech problems
Benign brain tumour
The manifestation of symptoms from a benign (non-cancerous) brain tumour is largely determined by its dimensions and its specific location within the brain. The NHS advises: "Some slow-growing tumours may not cause any symptoms at first. When symptoms occur, it's because the tumour is putting pressure on the brain and preventing a specific area of the brain from working properly."
The NHS lists common indicators of increased intracranial pressure as:
- new, persistent headaches – which are sometimes worse in the morning or when bending over or coughing
- feeling sick all the time
- drowsiness
- vision problems – such as blurred vision, double vision, loss of part of the visual field (hemianopia), and temporary vision loss
- epileptic fits (seizures) – which may affect the whole body, or you may just have a twitch in one area
Seeking medical attention
The health service recommends: "See a GP if you have these types of symptoms, particularly if you have a headache that feels different from the type of headache you usually get, or if headaches are getting worse. You may not have a brain tumour, but these types of symptoms should be checked."
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