TV host Davina McCall has told she is having brain surgery after a rare tumour was discovered. The star, known for her roles presenting Big Brother and judging on the Masked Singer, opened up about her health scare on Instagram.
Despite the serious news, she managed to share a laugh with her partner Michael Douglas while explaining her situation. She revealed that the tumour was discovered during a routine check-up, which she had been given in return for giving a menopause talk to a firm.
Although the tumour is benign, she was warned that leaving the 14mm growth could have serious consequences if it were to increase in size. But what exactly is a brain tumour and how can you tell if you might have one?
According to the NHS, there are two types. They can be non-cancerous (benign) like Davina's, or cancerous (malignant).
What is a brain tumour?
A brain tumour is an abnormal growth of cells in the brain that multiplies uncontrollably. They are graded based on their growth rate and likelihood of returning after treatment, reports Wales Online.
Grade 1 and 2 tumours are low grade, while grade 3 and 4 tumours are high grade. The 2 main types of brain tumours are:
- 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
Symptoms of a brain tumour
The symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on the exact part of the brain affected. Common symptoms include:
- headaches
vision or speech problems
- seizures (fits)
mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality
- persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness
- progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
Benign brain tumour
Symptoms of a benign (non-cancerous) brain tumour depend on its size and where it is in the brain. The NHS says: "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."
Common symptoms of increased pressure within the skull include:
- new, persistent headaches – which are sometimes worse in the morning or when bending over or coughing
- vision problems – such as blurred vision, double vision, loss of part of the visual field (hemianopia), and temporary vision loss
- feeling sick all the time
- 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
- drowsiness
When to see a GP
According to the NHS you should seek medical advice if you have any of these symptoms. It advises: "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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