Source:

- severe headache

- visual loss (due to papilledema)

- vomiting

- bilateral Babinski sign

- drowsiness (after several hours of the above symptoms)

- gait change (rotation of feet when walking)

- impaction/constipation

- back flexibility

A benign tumor is a mass of cells (tumor) that lacks the ability to invade neighboring tissue or metastasize. Benign tumors do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. Benign tumors can sometimes be quite large, however. When removed, they usually do not grow back, whereas malignant tumors sometimes do. Unlike most benign tumors elsewhere in the body, benign brain tumors can be life threatening. Benign tumors generally have a slower growth rate than malignant tumors and the tumor cells are usually more differentiated (cells have normal features). Benign tumors are typically surrounded by an outer surface (fibrous sheath of connective tissue) or remain with the epithelium. Common examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.

Although benign tumors will not metastasize or locally invade tissues, some types may still produce negative health effects. The growth of benign tumors produces a "mass effect" that can compress tissues and may cause nerve damage, reduction of blood to an area of the body (ischaemia), tissue death (necrosis) and organ damage. The mass effect of tumors is more prominent if the tumor is within an enclosed space such as the cranium, respiratory tract, sinus or inside bones. Tumors of endocrine tissues may overproduce certain hormones, especially when the cells are well differentiated. Examples include thyroid adenomas and adrenocortical adenomas.

Although most benign tumors are not life-threatening, many types of benign tumors have the potential to become cancerous (malignant) through a process known as tumour progression. For this reason and other possible negative health effects, some benign tumors are removed by surgery.

There is a wide range of symptoms that patients show. Symptoms can lie dormant, but come about due to Obstructive hydrocephalus. These symptoms include:

- Intracranial pressure

- Headache

- Papilledema

- Vomiting

- Light headedness

- Impaired mental activity

- Gait instability

In rare and extreme cases, more severe symptoms can be observed:

- Memory disturbance

- Dementia

- Hemiparesis

- Seizures

- Hemorrhage

- Psychosis

Ependymoma is a tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. Usually, in pediatric cases the location is intracranial, while in adults it is spinal. The common location of intracranial ependymoma is the fourth ventricle. Rarely, ependymoma can occur in the pelvic cavity.

Syringomyelia can be caused by an ependymoma.

Ependymomas are also seen with neurofibromatosis type II.

Benign tumors are very diverse, and may be asymptomatic or may cause specific symptoms depending on their anatomic location and tissue type. They grow outwards, producing large rounded masses, which can cause what is known as a "mass effect". This growth can cause compression of local tissues or organs, which can cause many effects such as blockage of ducts, reduced blood flow (ischaemia), tissue death (necrosis) and nerve pain or damage. Some tumors also produce hormones that can lead to life-threatening situations. Insulinomas can produce large amounts of insulin leading to hypoglycemia. Pituitary adenomas can cause elevated levels of hormones such as growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1, which cause acromegaly; prolactin; ACTH and cortisol, which cause Cushings disease; TSH, which causes hyperthyroidism; and FSH and LH. Bowel intussusception can occur with various benign colonic tumors. Cosmetic effects can be caused by tumors, especially those of the skin, possibly causing psychological effects on the person with the tumor. Vascular tumors can bleed, which in some cases can be substantial, leading to anemia.

Central neurocytoma, abbreviated CNC, is an extremely rare, ordinarily benign intraventricular brain tumour that typically forms from the neuronal cells of the septum pellucidum. The majority of central neurocytomas grow inwards into the ventricular system forming interventricular neurocytomas. This leads to two primary symptoms of CNCs, blurred vision and increased intracranial pressure. Treatment for a central neurocytoma typically involves surgical removal, with an approximate 1 in 5 chance of recurrence. Central neurocytomas are classified as a grade II tumor under the World Health Organization's classification of tumors of the nervous system.

The most common symptom of the papillary tumor is a headache. Because headaches are so common, most people think nothing of it. This is why brain tumors are so dangerous. There are not a lot of symptoms that go along with them so people tend to wait a long time before seeking medical help. Most of the time people will go see a doctor when their headaches become consistent and start to never go away. This symptom however occurs secondary to hydrocephalus, which is a result from compression of the cerebral aqueduct. The cerebral aqueduct is a narrow channel in the midbrain, which connects the third and fourth ventricles. When a tumor blocks the pathway of the cerebrospinal fluid, this will cause headaches in the patient. Often when hydrocephalus occurs, a shunt is put in place in order to alleviate the pressure. In one case study, an endoscopic third ventriculostomy was performed as a first line procedure to treat the hydrocephalus and also for diagnostic purposes.

In some cases, patients have had progressive diplopia, or double vision. Also, although not in all cases, patients sometimes suffer from nausea and vomiting.

The desire to eat normally becomes worse over time, leading to weight loss from vomiting. Nausea is seen in almost all cases of astroblastoma, especially in low-grade tumors.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT), also known as fibrous tumor of the pleura, is a rare mesenchymal tumor originating in the pleura or at virtually any site in the soft tissue including seminal vesicle. Approximately 78% to 88% of SFT's are benign and 12% to 22% are malignant.

Pediatric ependymomas are similar in nature to the adult form of ependymoma in that they are thought to arise from radial glial cells lining the ventricular system. However, they differ from adult ependymomas in which genes and chromosomes are most often affected, the region of the brain they are most frequently found in, and the prognosis of the patients. Children with certain hereditary diseases, such as neurofibromatosis type II (NF2), have been found to be more frequently afflicted with this class of tumors, but a firm genetic link remains to be established. Symptoms associated with the development of pediatric ependymomas are varied, much like symptoms for a number of other pediatric brain tumors including vomiting, headache, irritability, lethargy, and changes in gait. Although younger children and children with invasive tumor types generally experience less favorable outcomes, total removal of the tumors is the most conspicuous prognostic factor for both survival and relapse.

Along with cranial pressure, patients exhibit noticeable lethargy, increasing in severity as the tumor progresses. In the first few months, morning activities are usually unaffected; over time, these effects become more pronounced, especially late at night. Lethargy can disrupt vital signs, depleting energy and desire to perform simple cognitive tasks.

Patients usually present with pain and limited range of motion caused by tumor's proximity to the joint space. Swelling may occur, as well, if the tumor has been growing for a long time. Some patients may be asymptomatic until they develop a pathologic fracture at the site of the tumor. They usually originate from the epiphysis of long bones, but in rare cases, they may arise from anterior arc of the ribs.

The symptoms may include muscular aches and pains in arms or legs and abdominal pain. Patients may also experience nerve pain which feels like an electric shock due to weight bearing.

Lipoblastoma is a type of subcutaneous benign fatty tumor.

Types include:

- Benign lipoblastomatosis, a tumor, also known as an embryonic lipoma, which usually occurs in children under three years old. This is the tumor of brown fat cells.

- Myxoid lipoblastoma, a cutaneous condition characterized by excess mucin

This is predominantly a tumor of adult women, with very few examples reported in adolescents.

Patients typically present with a firm, palpable mass. These tumors are very fast-growing, and can increase in size in just a few weeks. Occurrence is most common between the ages of 40 and 50, prior to menopause. This is about 15 years older than the typical age of patients with fibroadenoma, a condition with which phyllodes tumors may be confused. They have been documented to occur at any age above 12 years.

Granular cell tumor is a tumor that can develop on any skin or mucosal surface, but occurs on the tongue 40% of the time.

It is also known as Abrikossoff's tumor, Granular cell myoblastoma, Granular cell nerve sheath tumor, and Granular cell schwannoma.)

SFT was first mentioned in the scientific literature by Wagner. The first discussion of its clinical and pathological properties was by Klemperer and Rabin. SFTs have also been known as hemangiopericytomas although this term has now been discontinued from WHO tumor classifications.

Over the years pleural SFTs acquired a number of synonyms, including localized fibrous tumor, benign mesothelioma, localized

fibrous mesothelioma, submesothelial fibroma, and pleural fibroma. The use of names that include ‘mesothelioma’ for this tumor is discouraged because of potential confusion with diffuse malignant mesothelioma, a much more serious disease.

Gangliogliomas are generally benign WHO grade I tumors; the presence of anaplastic changes in the glial component is considered to represent WHO grade III (anaplastic ganglioglioma). Criteria for WHO grade II have been suggested, but are not established. Malignant transformation of spinal ganglioglioma has been seen in only a select few cases. Poor prognostic factors for adults with gangliogliomas include older age at diagnosis, male sex, and malignant histologic features.

Granular cell tumors show similarity to neural tissue, as can be demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural evidence using electron microscopy.

Multiple granular cell tumors may seen in the context of "LEOPARD syndrome", due to a mutation in the "PTPN11 gene".

These tumors on occasion may appear similar to neoplasms of renal (relating to the kidneys) origin or other soft tissue neoplasms.

Papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPR) were first described by A. Jouvet et al. in 2003 and were introduced in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of Central Nervous System (CNS) in 2007. Papillary Tumors of the Pineal Region are located on the pineal gland which is located in the center of the brain. The pineal gland is located on roof of the diencephalon. It is a cone shaped structure dorsal to the midbrain tectum. The tumor appears to be derived from the specialized ependymal cells of the subcommissural organ. Papillary tumors of the central nervous system and particularly of the pineal region are very rare and so diagnosing them is extremely difficult.

Giant-cell tumor of the bone (GCTOB) is a relatively uncommon tumor of the bone. It is characterized by the presence of multinucleated giant cells (osteoclast-like cells). Malignancy in giant-cell tumor is uncommon and occurs in about 2% of all cases. However, if malignant degeneration does occur, it is likely to metastasize to the lungs. Giant-cell tumors are normally benign, with unpredictable behavior. It is a heterogeneous tumor composed of three different cell populations. The giant-cell tumour stromal cells (GCTSC) constitute the neoplastic cells, which are from an osteoblastic origin and are classified based on expression of osteoblast cell markers such as alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin. In contrast, the mononuclear histiocytic cells (MNHC) and multinucleated giant cell (MNGC) fractions are secondarily recruited and comprise the non-neoplastic cell population. They are derived from an osteoclast-monocyte lineage determined primarily by expression of "CD68", a marker for monocytic precursor cells. In most patients, the tumors are slow to develop, but may recur locally in as many as 50% of cases.

Phyllodes tumors (from Greek: "phullon" leaf), also cystosarcoma phyllodes, cystosarcoma phylloides and phylloides tumor, are typically large, fast-growing masses that form from the periductal stromal cells of the breast. They account for less than 1% of all breast neoplasms.

Symptoms present 1–36 months before diagnosis, and can vary depending on age, tumor grade, and location. Increased intracranial pressure can induce vomiting, headache, irritability, lethargy, changes in gait, and in children less than 2, feeding problems, involuntary eye movements, and hydrocephalus are often noticeable. Seizures occur in about 20% of pediatric patients. Loss of cognitive function and even sudden death could occur if the tumor is located at a crucial location for CSF flow. Pediatric ependymomas most often occur in the posterior cranial fossa, in contrast with adult ependymomas which usually occur along the spine. Ependymomas present as low-density masses on CT scans, and are hyperintense on T2-weighted MRI images.

An oncocytoma is an epithelial tumor composed of oncocytes, large eosinophilic cells having small, round, benign-appearing nuclei with large nucleoli.

Oncocytoma can arise in a number of organs.

Ganglioglioma is a rare, slow-growing primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor which most frequently occurs in the temporal lobes of children and young adults.

The tumor is usually solitary and presents as a slow growing, painless, firm single nodular mass. Isolated nodules are generally outgrowths of the main nodule rather than a multinodular presentation. It is usually mobile unless found in the palate and can cause atrophy of the mandibular ramus when located in the parotid gland. When found in the parotid tail, it may present as an eversion of the ear lobe. Though it is classified as a benign tumor, pleomorphic adenomas have the capacity to grow to large proportions and may undergo malignant transformation, to form carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma, a risk that increases with time (9.5% chance to convert into malignancy in 15 years). Although it is "benign" the tumor is aneuploid, it can recur after resection, it invades normal adjacent tissue and distant metastases have been reported after long (+10 years) time intervals.