The number of those being diagnosed with brain tumours is said to have risen by 30 per cent in the last 20 years.
According to data from Public Health Scotland (PHS), across a two year period, the number has risen from 822 from the years 2000 to 2002 to 1,069 between the 2017 and 2019.
Many people are now advocating for their health and keeping others informed about what symptoms to look out as well as where to go for support.
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And one person who was a big advocate for finding a cure for brain tumours, as well as raising awareness of it, was Tom Parker. The 33-year-old, who formed one fifth of The Wanted, was sadly diagnosed with cancer two years ago but did not survive.
According to the Brain Tumour Charity, Glioblastomas, what Tom had, are grade 4 brain tumours and are sometimes called glioblastoma multiforme, GBM, GBM4 or a grade 4 astrocytom. He announced back in October 2020 that he had been diagnosed and in March of this year, he sadly passed away.
Thursday (August 4) will mark what would have been his 34th birthday and in a bid to keep his legacy alive, people are talking about brain cancer and what people should look out for. His birthday also comes at a time where The Brain Tumour Charity have launched their "Better Safe Than Tumour" campaign, aiming to make more people aware of symptoms to ensure early and effective treatment.
The launch also follows a walk which took place just a few days ago which saw hundreds take to the singer's hometown of Bolton in a tribute to raise funds for the Ahead of the Game Foundation charity, which supported the singer following his diagnosis. Since his passing, his wife Kelsey is now a co-director and trustee.
According to the NHS, a brain tumour occurs due to the growth of cells in the brain that multiplies in an abnormal, uncontrollable way. The severity of brain tumours vary, depending on how big they grow and how likely they are to return after treatment.
Dr David Jenkinson, the Brain Tumour Charity’s chief scientific officer, said: “These worrying figures show just how urgently we need to act on this devastating and life-changing disease. While brain tumours remain relatively rare, incidence has continued to rise significantly over the last two decades, and this has unfortunately not yet been matched by the tangible progress in diagnosis, treatment and survival outcomes seen in many other cancers.”
The charity claims progress for brain tumours has continued to lag behind survival improvements seen in other diseases. Just 12 per cent of UK adults survive for five years after a brain tumour diagnosis, with the disease continuing to reduce life expectancy by 27 years on average — the highest of any cancer.
Dr Catherine McBain, a consultant clinical oncologist at The Christie in Manchester, has outlined seven possible signs which may be linked to brain tumour. Here's what you need to know.
Brain tumour symptoms
1. Seizures
If you have a fit or a seizure out of the blue, you should go to A&E, where an urgent brain scan would be considered.
2. Weakness of the face/arm/leg on one side of the body
Such weakness may come on suddenly, like a stroke, or may become more noticeable gradually over a few weeks, for example dragging your leg or tripping over kerbs because you don’t seem to be able to lift your foot up properly.
3. Marked speech disturbance
Slurred speech, being unable to find your words or coming out with the wrong words. Struggling to find a word sometimes is normal; but it would become worrying if it was becoming steadily worse over a period of weeks or months, and was associated with other symptoms.
4. Personality change
People who have a brain tumour may become steadily more withdrawn or confused over a period of a few months, or struggle with tasks they used to be able to do, such as playing an instrument or doing internet banking.
5. Vision changes
Sometimes, tumours in the brain reduce our ability to see objects to one side. This might cause people to bump into doorframes, not be able to see someone sitting on the left or right side, or clip the wing mirrors of parked cars if driving. If you’re concerned about vision changes, begin by seeing an optician, who can perform a full eye test and refer you to hospital if necessary.
6. Difficulty reading or interpreting words
You may notice that over a few weeks, you’re increasingly struggling to write emails or send texts, or to work out what subtitles or words in a book say – you may be able to see the words clearly, but the brain refuses to interpret them or make sense of them.
7. Headaches
These are the symptom most people associate with brain tumours, but it’s actually relatively unusual for headache to be the only symptom of a brain tumour.
When it comes to being concerned about brain tumours, doctors talk about ‘headache plus’, meaning headache plus other symptoms.
Worrying headaches are those which have become ‘clearly, definitely and progressively worse’ over a period of two to three months, and which become associated with some of the other symptoms.
If headache is the only symptom, it’s usually a headache which is different to any headache you’ve ever had before, and which becomes much more severe very quickly, over a period of a few weeks. It may be present in the morning, waking you from sleep, or become associated with nausea, vomiting and drowsiness.
For further information on the Better Safe Than Tumour campaign, visit thebraintumourcharity.org You can also read up on Glioblastoma symptoms here.
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