[Medical Q&A] How to identify the five symptoms of breast cancer brain metastasis?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Kong Xiangyi, deputy chief physician, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Brain metastasis from breast cancer is a serious condition that manifests primarily as neurological symptoms, which vary depending on the location and severity of the metastasis.

(1) Frontal lobe: If it occurs in the frontal lobe, it may cause psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, mania or bipolar disorder.

(2) Temporal lobe: If it occurs in the temporal lobe, it may cause epileptic seizures. Although epilepsy does not only occur in the temporal lobe, it is more common there.

(3) Occipital lobe: If it occurs in the occipital lobe, it may affect visual function and compress the corresponding center.

(4) Parietal lobe or temporal lobe: If it occurs in the parietal lobe or temporal lobe, it may damage the language center and cause language dysfunction.

(5) Other areas such as the thalamus or cerebral cortex: may affect the motor and sensory functions of the limbs and may also cause increased intracranial pressure. Increased intracranial pressure is a common symptom of brain metastasis, manifested as headache, nausea and vomiting, which is the triple symptom of increased intracranial pressure.

The symptoms of brain metastases are complex and varied. Different parts of the body produce different symptoms. A correct diagnosis depends on the evaluation of a professional doctor and imaging examinations. Understanding these symptoms can help detect and treat breast cancer brain metastases at an early stage.