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Davina McCall has shared that she is undergoing surgery to remove a rare kind of brain tumour. The Big Brother and Masked Singer presenter said she is having the operation after a brain scan revealed the 14mm growth.
Sharing the news in an Instagram post, the TV presenter revealed she has a colloid cyst – a “very rare” benign tumour that affects only three in a million people.
“A few months ago I did a menopause talk for a company and they offered me a health scan in return,” she explains, “which I thought I was going to ace, but it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare.”
“I realised that I have to get it taken out,” she said. “It’s big for the space – it fills the space. It’s 14mm wide. And it needs to come out because if it grows it would be bad.”
Colloid cysts are small fluid-filled sacs located around the middle of the brain. They can become dangerous if left untreated, and treatment is not straightforward.
Colloid cysts are most effectively removed through a craniotomy, where part of the skull is removed to access the brain. It is a rare kind of brain tumour but one which is fortunately benign, meaning non-cancerous, carrying a mortality rate of 1.2 per cent.
It can be hard for someone to know if they are suffering from symptoms of a colloid cyst. Dr Alasdair Scott, science director at Selph, says: “If someone has new onset, persistent headaches without an obvious cause, they should see their doctor.
“In particular, if the headaches are worse in the morning, when lying down or when leaning the head forward this can be a sign that they’re caused by a rise in pressure in the skull.”
News of Ms McCall’s diagnosis has left many wondering what the difference is between certain types of tumours. Here’s everything you need to know:
What are the different types of tumour?
Benign (non-cancerous)
Benign tumours are non cancerous and the majority are not harmful.
They grow slowly and are unlikely to spread to other parts of the body and while they are generally non-life threatening, they can cause pain or other medical conditions if they press against nerves or blood vessels.
They most commonly include colon polyps, uterine fibroids, haemangiomas (blood vessel growth), and lipomas.
Dr Scott, explains: “A ‘tumour’ is simply a growth. Tumours can be benign or malignant.
“Benign tumours (such as colloid cysts) will not spread whereas malignant tumours have the ability to spread to other parts of the body. A ‘cancer’ is another term for malignant tumour.”
Malignant (cancerous)
These tumours are cancerous and often grow rapidly, spreading quickly to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, in a process called metastasis. It is important to note that some malignant tumours grow slowly and will not necessarily spread through the body.
While malignant tumours can be treated, with a high success rate, they can also be life-threatening. Malignant tumours which spread to organs like the bowel and pancreas are more dangerous, but are again treatable especially when caught early.
Carcinomas, where cells grow and multiply to form tumours, are the most common kind of cancer. They include many breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancers.
Pre-cancerous
Pre-cancerous, or pre-malignant tumours, are not cancerous but can develop to be so and therefore it is important for doctors to monitor these tumours closely.
Several kinds of benign tumour can become cancerous if left untreated.
