Home / Myth Busters / Brain tumours
Brain tumour myths,
answered with evidence.
మెదడు కణితులు – అపోహలు, నిజాలు
Brain tumours are surrounded by more fear and misinformation than almost any other diagnosis. Many are benign, many are treatable, and most headaches are not tumours at all. This series answers the myths about causes, symptoms, scans, surgery, radiosurgery and survival.
When to see a doctor
Headache warning signs that need a check
- A new headache that keeps getting worse over days or weeks
- Headaches that wake you from sleep, or are worst on waking
- Headache with vomiting, especially in the morning
- Headache that gets worse with coughing, sneezing or bending
- Headache with blurred or double vision, weakness, confusion, a seizure or a change in personality
Read more: Every headache means a brain tumour?
Sudden or severe symptoms need emergency care: go to the nearest emergency department or call 108.
35 myths · Updated October 2026
Causes and risk
Using mobile phones causes brain cancer?
మొబైల్ ఫోన్ వాడటం వల్ల మెదడు క్యాన్సర్ వస్తుందా?Current evidence has not shown that using a mobile phone causes brain cancer. Research continues, but no causal link has been found.
Read the factsMyth #02 · Causes & riskEvery brain tumour is cancer?
ప్రతి మెదడు గడ్డా క్యాన్సరేనా?Brain tumours can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). But even a benign tumour can be serious because of where it is or how it grows.
Read the factsMyth #03 · Causes & riskBrain tumours happen only in elderly people?
మెదడు గడ్డలు వయసు మళ్లినవాళ్లకు మాత్రమే వస్తాయా?Brain tumours can occur at any age, including in children and young adults. Different types are more common at different ages.
Read the factsMyth #04 · Causes & riskBrain cancer is always inherited from parents?
మెదడు క్యాన్సర్ ఎప్పుడూ తల్లిదండ్రుల నుంచి వస్తుందా?Most brain tumours are not inherited. Only a small minority are linked to rare inherited conditions that run in families.
Read the factsMyth #05 · Causes & riskStress, overthinking or too much studying causes brain tumours?
ఒత్తిడి, అతిగా ఆలోచించడం లేదా ఎక్కువ చదువు వల్ల మెదడు గడ్డలు వస్తాయా?There is no convincing evidence that stress, studying or thinking too much causes brain tumours.
Read the factsMyth #25 · Causes & riskMy child’s brain tumour happened because of something I did?
నా బిడ్డకు మెదడు గడ్డ రావడానికి నేను చేసినదేదో కారణమా?Most childhood brain tumours happen by chance as the brain develops. Nothing parents did, ate or allowed causes them.
Read the factsSymptoms and early diagnosis
Every headache means a brain tumour?
ప్రతి తలనొప్పీ మెదడు గడ్డకు సంకేతమా?Most headaches have nothing to do with brain tumours. Headaches that keep getting worse, especially with other neurological symptoms, need a doctor's check.
Read the factsMyth #07 · Symptoms & diagnosisBrain tumours always cause severe headaches?
మెదడు గడ్డలు ఎప్పుడూ తీవ్రమైన తలనొప్పులు తెస్తాయా?Some brain tumours cause no headache at all. A seizure, weakness, behaviour change, vision problems or poor balance may be the first sign.
Read the factsMyth #08 · Symptoms & diagnosisA person with a brain tumour will always become unconscious or paralysed?
మెదడు గడ్డ ఉన్నవారు ఎప్పుడూ స్పృహ కోల్పోతారా లేదా పక్షవాతానికి గురవుతారా?Many people with a brain tumour stay fully alert and able to carry on with daily life, especially early on.
Read the factsMyth #09 · Symptoms & diagnosisA seizure always means epilepsy, not a brain tumour?
ఫిట్స్ అంటే ఎప్పుడూ మూర్ఛ వ్యాధేనా, మెదడు గడ్డ కాదా?Seizures have many causes. A first seizure, especially in an adult, needs a proper neurological check, usually including a brain scan.
Read the factsMyth #10 · Symptoms & diagnosisA normal CT scan completely rules out a brain tumour?
సీటీ స్కాన్ నార్మల్ వస్తే మెదడు గడ్డ పూర్తిగా లేనట్లేనా?An MRI scan, with contrast dye when needed, is usually better than CT at finding and describing many brain tumours.
Read the factsMyth #23 · Symptoms & diagnosisRepeated early-morning vomiting in a child is just acidity or worms?
పిల్లల్లో తెల్లవారుజామున మళ్లీ మళ్లీ వాంతులంటే కేవలం ఎసిడిటీ లేదా పురుగులేనా?Vomiting on waking, day after day, especially with headache, unsteady walking or a head tilt, can be a sign of raised pressure in the brain. The child needs a doctor’s examination and often a brain scan.
Read the factsMyth #24 · Symptoms & diagnosisA new squint in a child is only an eye problem?
పిల్లల్లో కొత్తగా వచ్చిన మెల్లకన్ను కేవలం కంటి సమస్యేనా?A squint that appears suddenly, or comes with headache, vomiting or a head tilt, can be caused by raised pressure in the brain or a tumour pressing on a nerve. It needs an eye and nerve examination, not just glasses.
Read the factsMyth #31 · Symptoms & diagnosisPutting keys or iron in the hand, or making the person smell a shoe or onion, stops a seizure?
చేతిలో తాళాలు లేదా ఇనుము పెట్టడం, చెప్పు లేదా ఉల్లిపాయ వాసన చూపించడం ఫిట్స్ ఆపుతాయా?These do not stop a seizure. Most seizures stop on their own within a few minutes; the helper’s job is to keep the person safe and time it.
Read the factsMyth #32 · Symptoms & diagnosisEvery ring-shaped lump in the brain on a scan is TB or a worm cyst?
స్కాన్‌లో మెదడులో కనిపించే ప్రతి ఉంగరం ఆకారపు గడ్డా టీబీ లేదా పురుగు తిత్తేనా?Tuberculosis and worm cysts (neurocysticercosis) are common causes of ring-shaped lesions in India, but tumours, spread from cancer elsewhere, lymphoma and abscesses can look similar. Some need a biopsy before treatment.
Read the factsDiagnosis, surgery and tumour behaviour
A brain biopsy or surgery makes cancer spread faster?
మెదడు బయాప్సీ లేదా ఆపరేషన్ వల్ల క్యాన్సర్ వేగంగా వ్యాపిస్తుందా?A properly performed biopsy or operation does not generally make a brain tumour grow or spread faster. These are often essential for diagnosis and treatment.
Read the factsMyth #12 · Surgery & tumour behaviourIf a brain tumour is benign, it never needs treatment?
మెదడు గడ్డ ప్రమాదం లేనిదైతే ఎప్పుడూ చికిత్స అవసరం లేదా?Some benign tumours can simply be watched with scans. Others need surgery or radiotherapy because they grow, cause symptoms or press on important structures.
Read the factsMyth #13 · Surgery & tumour behaviourEvery brain tumour needs open brain surgery?
ప్రతి మెదడు గడ్డకూ పుర్రె తెరిచి ఆపరేషన్ చేయాలా?Treatment may be monitoring, microsurgery, radiosurgery, radiotherapy or medicines, depending on the type of tumour and the situation.
Read the factsMyth #14 · Surgery & tumour behaviourA brain tumour that can't be completely removed is automatically incurable?
పూర్తిగా తీసేయలేని మెదడు గడ్డ ఆటోమేటిక్‌గా నయం కానిదా?The outlook depends on the tumour's type and molecular features, and on the treatments available. Some tumours that can't be fully removed are controlled for many years.
Read the factsMyth #15 · Surgery & tumour behaviourA tumour found in the brain must have started in the brain?
మెదడులో కనిపించిన గడ్డ తప్పనిసరిగా మెదడులోనే మొదలైందా?Many tumours in the brain have spread from cancers elsewhere in the body, most commonly the lung, breast and skin (melanoma).
Read the factsMyth #35 · Surgery & tumour behaviourBrain cancer spreads all over the body like other cancers?
మెదడు క్యాన్సర్ ఇతర క్యాన్సర్లలాగే శరీరమంతా వ్యాపిస్తుందా?Tumours that start in the brain very rarely spread outside the brain and spinal cord. Some can spread through the fluid around the brain and spine, which doctors check for.
Read the factsTreatment, recovery and survival
Radiotherapy to the brain always causes permanent memory loss?
మెదడుకు రేడియోథెరపీ ఎప్పుడూ శాశ్వత జ్ఞాపకశక్తి నష్టం తెస్తుందా?The risk to memory depends on the dose, how much of the brain is treated, age and technique. Modern approaches can reduce that risk in suitable patients.
Read the factsMyth #17 · Treatment & survivalGamma Knife or CyberKnife treatment means cutting open the skull?
గామా నైఫ్ లేదా సైబర్‌నైఫ్ చికిత్స అంటే పుర్రెను కోసి తెరవడమా?Despite the name "knife", these are forms of radiosurgery that deliver precisely focused radiation, without any cut.
Read the factsMyth #18 · Treatment & survivalChemotherapy can't work against brain tumours because of the blood–brain barrier?
రక్త-మెదడు అడ్డుగోడ వల్ల మెదడు గడ్డల మీద కీమోథెరపీ పనిచేయదా?Some chemotherapy and targeted medicines work well against certain brain tumours. How well they work depends on the tumour and the drug.
Read the factsMyth #19 · Treatment & survivalBrain cancer always means death within a few months?
మెదడు క్యాన్సర్ అంటే ఎప్పుడూ కొన్ని నెలల్లో మరణమేనా?Outcomes vary enormously. Some aggressive tumours have a poor outlook, while other brain tumours are curable or can be controlled for many years.
Read the factsMyth #20 · Treatment & survivalAfter successful treatment, follow-up MRI scans aren't needed?
విజయవంతమైన చికిత్స తర్వాత తదుపరి ఎమ్మారై స్కాన్లు అవసరం లేదా?Regular scans are important to detect any return or growth of the tumour, effects of treatment, and late complications.
Read the factsMyth #21 · Treatment & survivalSteroid tablets (dexamethasone) are treating the brain tumour itself?
స్టెరాయిడ్ మాత్రలు (డెక్సామెథాసోన్) మెదడు గడ్డకే చికిత్స చేస్తున్నాయా?Dexamethasone reduces the swelling around a brain tumour, which can quickly ease headache or weakness. It does not treat the tumour itself, except for some lymphomas.
Read the factsMyth #22 · Treatment & survivalSeizure tablets can be stopped as soon as the fits stop?
ఫిట్స్ ఆగిపోగానే ఫిట్స్ మాత్రలు ఆపేయవచ్చా?Stopping seizure medicine suddenly can bring back seizures, sometimes more severe ones. Any change should be planned with your doctor.
Read the factsMyth #26 · Treatment & survivalHerbal or ayurvedic medicines can dissolve a brain tumour?
మూలికా లేదా ఆయుర్వేద మందులు మెదడు గడ్డను కరిగించగలవా?No herbal or traditional medicine has been shown to shrink or cure a brain tumour. Some interfere with treatment or harm the liver.
Read the factsMyth #27 · Treatment & survivalChemotherapy tablets (temozolomide) are weaker than injections?
కీమోథెరపీ మాత్రలు (టెమోజోలోమైడ్) ఇంజెక్షన్ల కంటే బలహీనమైనవా?Temozolomide capsules are real chemotherapy. They are the standard chemotherapy for glioblastoma and many other gliomas and need the same care as any chemotherapy.
Read the factsMyth #28 · Treatment & survivalOlder people are too old for brain tumour treatment?
వయసు మళ్లినవారు మెదడు గడ్డ చికిత్సకు పనికిరారా?Age alone does not decide. Many people over 70 benefit from shorter courses of radiotherapy, tablet chemotherapy, or both, chosen according to their fitness and tumour tests.
Read the factsMyth #29 · Treatment & survivalOnce cancer spreads to the brain, nothing more can be done?
క్యాన్సర్ మెదడుకు పాకాక ఇక ఏమీ చేయలేమా?Many people with brain metastases are treated effectively with focused radiation, surgery or targeted medicines that reach the brain, and some live for years.
Read the factsMyth #30 · Treatment & survivalPeople with a brain tumour can never take blood thinners?
మెదడు గడ్డ ఉన్నవారు ఎప్పుడూ రక్తం పలుచబరిచే మందులు వాడకూడదా?Most people with a brain tumour can safely take blood thinners when they develop a clot in the leg or lung, after a scan shows no bleeding in the brain.
Read the factsMyth #33 · Treatment & survivalHair never grows back after brain radiotherapy?
మెదడు రేడియోథెరపీ తర్వాత జుట్టు ఎప్పటికీ మళ్లీ పెరగదా?Hair loss happens only where the radiation beams pass and usually starts to regrow 2 to 6 months after treatment. With high doses, a patch may stay thin or bald.
Read the factsMyth #34 · Treatment & survivalChildren who are cured of a brain tumour need no more check-ups?
మెదడు గడ్డ నయమైన పిల్లలకు ఇక చెకప్‌లు అవసరం లేదా?Children treated for brain tumours need long-term follow-up for growth, hormones, hearing, vision, learning and late effects, even when the tumour has gone.
Read the facts