The skull base comprises several bones forming the bottom of the head and the ridge behind the eyes and nose. Tumors can develop in this area and are often detected when they grow large enough to press on the brain.

Treating skull base tumors is challenging due to their deep location and proximity to vital nerves and blood vessels in the brain, head, neck, and spinal cord.

Skull base cancer is a rare and complex condition affecting the area between the skull and the brain’s base. Lateral skull base tumors, located on the skull’s side, can affect the ear, temporal bone, and associated nerves.

Recognizing symptoms

Most skull base tumors do not cause symptoms. When symptoms do arise, they can vary greatly.

They include:

• Pressure on the brain: Headache, Nausea, and vomiting
• Hormonal changes: in the pituitary gland
• Vision problems: compression on the optic nerves, blurred or double vision
• Hearing loss, loss of balance

Risk Factors for Progression

There are no obvious causes but there are some things that can be avoided to reduce the risk of developing this group of cancer

• Exposure to chemicals, including vinyl chloride, arsenic, and herbicides
• Certain genetic conditions
• Previous radiation therapy to the head to treat an infection of the scalp, or tumors of the head, neck, or brain

Early Detection

Skull base tumors are often difficult to diagnose, as they typically cause no symptoms and are easily overlooked. In most cases, they are discovered incidentally during scans for unrelated health issues.

Diagnosing skull base tumors starts with a physical exam including questions about one’s symptoms, and personal and family health history.

When a skull base tumor is diagnosed, the next course of action is recommended by specialists after they determine and perform the most appropriate procedure for each patient.