Brain Cancer Side Effects
A brain tumor and its treatment can lead to other health problems. You may receive supportive care to prevent or control these problems. You can have supportive care before, during, and after cancer treatment. It can improve your comfort and quality of life during treatment.
Your health care team can help you with the following problems:
- Swelling of the brain Many people with brain tumors need steroids to help relieve swelling of the brain.
- Seizures Brain tumors can cause seizures. Certain drugs can help prevent or control seizures.
- Fluid buildup in the skull If fluid builds up in the skull, the surgeon may place a shunt to drain the fluid. Information about shunts is in the Surgery part of the Treatment section.
- Sadness and other feeling: It's normal to feel sad, anxious, or confused after a diagnosis of a serious illness. Some people find it helpful to talk about their feelings.
Many people with brain tumors receive supportive care along with treatments intended to slow the progress of the disease. Some decide not to have antitumor treatment and receive only supportive care to manage their symptoms.
Seizure FAQs
What is a Seizure? A seizure is the result of a disruption of the normal electrical signals in the brain. A seizure can be caused by an area of irritation in the brain. The brain can be irritated by a tumor, swelling, or scarring from surgery or radiation.
What Does a Seizure Look Like? Many people think of a seizure as a total loss of consciousness and uncontrolled movement. This is called a generalized seizure. People may also grunt or make unusual sounds. With a focal seizure you may have numbness, tingling, weakness, or movement of one or more extremities, or of the face. A seizure could also be a brief staring spell, or inability to speak for a brief period of time.
How Long Does a Seizure Last? A seizure may last a few seconds to a few minutes.
How Will I Feel After a Seizure? With a brief seizure (focal) you may not notice any change in how you feel. As a person comes out of a generalized seizure they may be confused and have difficulty speaking. They may have a headache, be very tired, and need extra sleep. Some people experience increased weakness that lasts several days.
How Can I Prevent Seizures? If you are prone to seizures, your provider will have you on medication to prevent seizures. It is important to take your medication exactly as prescribed. Do not miss any doses. Many over the counter (OTC) medications can interfere with your seizure medication, check with your pharmacist before using OTC medications. Lack of sleep, stress, and alcohol use can also increase your risk of seizures. Other illnesses especially fever or vomiting can also make you more prone to a seizure.
- Get adequate sleep
- Avoid stress as much as possible
- Avoid alcohol
What Happens if I Have a Seizure? If you have a brief or focal seizure, write down how long it lasted, and what you felt so you can discuss this with your provider. Think about what, if anything may have brought the seizure on (see above).
- If someone has a generalized seizure, the family should try to keep the patient safe
- Clear the area around the patient so they will not hurt themselves
- Do not try to restrain the patient
- Do not put anything in their mouth or force their mouth open
- After the seizure is over, turn the patient on their side
- Record what happens to the patient during the seizure and how long the seizure lasts
When Should I Call for Help? You should call for help if a seizure last more than 5 minutes, if the person has trouble breathing, if they do not regain consciousness, or if the person has several seizures in a row. If your family member goes to the hospital for a seizure, it is important for you to know the name and dose of medication they take to prevent seizures and any allergies to medications. If a blood test is done to check a drug level, ask for the result so you can tell your provider.
