Brain tumor
How does a brain tumor cause aphasia?
A brain tumor can cause aphasia if it impacts the brain’s language centers. A brain tumor is a mass of cells that grows in the brain. They can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Aphasia due to cancer is called neoplastic aphasia.
Up to half of people who have a brain tumor will experience aphasia. The aphasia will appear different depending on the location, size, and grade of the tumor, as well as how old you are.
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Symptoms
How can aphasia appear with a brain tumor?
Aphasia caused by a brain tumor can look very similar to aphasia caused by a stroke. Individuals who have aphasia caused by brain tumor can have difficulty with any form of language use or processing, including speaking, understanding, reading, writing, or numbers/math.
The severity of aphasia due to brain tumor can change over time, and can range from mild to severe.
Brain involvement
Which parts of the brain are affected?
Aphasia from a brain tumor will occur if the tumor impacts the language centers of the brain. These areas are located on the left side of the brain.
Diagnosis
How is aphasia related to a brain tumor diagnosed?
To diagnose aphasia related to a brain tumor, a speech pathologist will give you an examination. This examination will include language testing to decide what type of aphasia you have and what the best treatment plan is.
If you have a brain tumor, you will likely also have brain scans, such as MRI or CT scans, to determine where the brain tumor is located and how big it is. You may also have biopsies to determine if it is cancerous.
Treatment
How is aphasia treated when caused by a brain tumor?
Treatment for aphasia caused by brain tumor often follows the treatment for the brain tumor. Once the brain tumor is treated or removed, the aphasia may go away, or the aphasia may be long-term.
Speech therapy may also be part of treatment for aphasia caused by brain tumor. A speech-language pathologist will develop a treatment plan to support your communication.
Recovery and prevention
Can aphasia caused by a brain tumor improve?
Aphasia related to a brain tumor may improve if the brain tumor is treated.
Some people with brain tumors might have long-term language challenges even after treatment. Long-term aphasia can improve with speech therapy or other medical interventions. Recovery depends on different factors, such as how severe the aphasia is, what parts of the brain are impacted, overall health, and access to therapy.
Sometimes people who have aphasia due to slow-growing brain tumors can experience an interesting change in their brains. Due to neuroplasticity, the brain can reorganize itself in response to the tumor. This sometimes means that if the tumor is impacting a language center, the brain can shift language processing to another part of the brain.
Can aphasia related to a brain tumor be prevented?
It’s not always possible to prevent aphasia caused by brain tumor. It’s always best to follow your medical provider’s advice, especially when it comes to treating a brain tumor.
Living with aphasia caused by a brain tumor
What is it like to live with aphasia?
People with aphasia caused by brain tumor may have a hard time finding the right word to say. They may also have trouble naming objects. This may make it hard to speak as quickly as they could before.
Speech therapy and support from speech-language pathologists can help if you have more long-term aphasia.
What emotional or psychological effects can occur?
If you have aphasia caused by brain tumor, you may feel frustrated or embarrassed if you have trouble speaking. Some people may have depression or anxiety. Brain tumors can cause other psychological effects, depending on where they’re located.
Getting support from medical providers, caregivers, and loved ones can help.
