A couple of days ago, a close friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor. While we await his biopsy results, we all remain hopeful, to the best of our abilities, that it is a benign and not a malignant tumor. In the meantime, I would truly appreciate any input on this condition, either from personal experience or the experience of someone close.

This all started with him developing headaches several weeks ago. His GP wrote it off as stress and prescribed some pills. When the medication didn't ease the headaches, his wife took him to Emergency, where a CT scan showed an abnormal growth at the center of his brain. Further tests confirmed that it was a tumor. Although the doctors do not know what type of tumor is in question, they suspect it is only benign.

Last night, he had a surgery and a biopsy done at the same time. From what I understand, the surgery was performed as one of the treatment options for a benign tumor, where a small tube was inserted in his head to help drain the fluid build-up in his brain. Fortunately, the procedure seemed to have gone reasonably well, as he is already up and about today.

Would anyone be able to provide some info about their experience with either type of brain tumor, including the good, the bad, and the ugly, so to speak? I have heard various stories about those who had been diagnosed, raging from survivors who continue to live normal lives to this day, to those who unfortunately weren't half as lucky. What are his chances of leading a normal life if this turns out to be only a benign tumor? How likely is this type of surgery/treatment to keep him functioning at a normal level? Can the situation deteriorate and, if so, in which time frame is this most likely to happen? I realize that the answers to these questions are quite situation- and individual-specific, but even general responses would be helpful.

Thank you very much in advance.

There are brain tumors that are not cancer- meningioma is one, and with a shunt, as you described, to help avoid cerebrospinal build up (fluid around the brain and spine) many people do quite well. Most need some rehab, to regain some functioning that can be lost just as a part of the surgery and tumor itself, but if you have to have a brain tumor, this is the sort to have ;). It's still serious and quite frightening, but many outcomes are quite good. :) My best to you all.