What is craniopharyngioma? When to see a doctor?

It wasn't until he couldn't read the questions on TV's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" that he rushed to get his eyes checked.

He was given glasses to wear, but still could not see clearly, so 1 month later he went back for a check-up.

The ophthalmologist found that he had a swollen optic nerve and asked him to go straight to a hospital in Northampton (UK).

After an MRI scan, doctors discovered he had a brain tumor the size of a golf ball, which was compressing his optic nerve and could cause him to go completely blind, requiring emergency surgery, according to the Daily Mail.

This is a craniopharyngioma - a tumor that grows near the pituitary gland.

He recounted: It all happened so quickly. One day, I was shivering at home. The next day, I had emergency surgery to save my life.

Surgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford (UK) performed a 6-hour operation to remove the tumor.

The surgery removed 98% of the tumor, but he developed hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain that causes hydrocephalus, and bacterial meningitis.

Doctors told his parents that he had only a 50% chance of surviving the night. But fortunately, he did.

He then underwent several more surgeries to treat complications from the surgery, but doctors found signs that the tumor was growing back.

He then went to Germany for radiotherapy and is undergoing further monitoring, but has suffered memory loss.

What is craniopharyngioma?

Craniopharyngioma is a tumor that develops near the pituitary gland and close to the skull bone. Craniopharyngioma accounts for about 2% - 4% of brain tumors. Craniopharyngioma usually occurs in children and adolescents, sometimes also in adults causing memory loss.

The location of the tumor is particularly dangerous, just below the thalamus, around the pituitary gland and major blood vessels of the brain, and if not completely removed, it often recurs. For this reason, craniopharyngioma is considered a malignant tumor, even though it does not spread.

In the early stages, the tumor usually grows slowly, so it takes 1-2 years for symptoms to appear, most typically persistent headaches, painkillers that do not work, or partial loss of vision. Other symptoms include: mood swings, mood swings, nausea especially in the morning, difficulty maintaining balance, falling easily, and severe cases can cause urinary incontinence, depression, and coma.

Craniopharyngiomas can cause hormone changes and vision problems, making it difficult for children to gain weight.

Some tumors are filled with fluid. These are cysts and often cannot be completely removed.