Risk Factors

Reducing Your Risk

Managing Side Effects

Living With Brain Tumors

Talking to Your Doctor

Resource Guide

Managing the Side Effects of a Brain Tumor and Its Treatment

by Michael Jubinville, MPH

This page discusses side effects and how to manage them. These are specific to brain tumors and their treatment. For managing side effects common to all cancers and their treatment, visit: Managing the Side Effects of Cancer and Cancer Treatment.

Only the most basic problems are listed. Ask your doctor if there are any other steps you need to take. Use each of these medicines as advised by your doctor or package instructions. If you have any questions, call your doctor.

Brain tumors and how they’re treated cause symptoms. These medicines will help you manage them.

Problems caused by brain tumors:

Swelling in the brain
Seizures

Swelling in the Brain

Many brain tumors cause swelling around them. This can lead to problems with how the brain works. The problems you have depend on where the tumor is. Corticosteroids ease swelling. This will improve how the brain works. Dexamethasone is the most commonly used.

Possible side effects:

Higher chances of infection
Infections that last longer
Increase in hunger
Weight gain
Heartburn
Restlessness

Seizures

Brain tumors may cause seizures. The normal pattern of activity in nerve cells is disrupted. This can cause strange sensations, emotions, and behavior. It can also cause convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

Common medicines:

Carbamazepine
Ethosuximide
Gabapentin
Lamotrigine
Oxcarbazepine
Phenytoin
Primidone
Valproic acid
Diazepam rectal gel
Clonazepam

Carbamazepine

Common brand names:

Tegretol
Carbatrol

Carbamazepine lowers the action of the nerves in the brain.

Possible side effects:

Blurred vision
Nystagmus—rhythmic back and forth eye movements
Lightheadedness
Drowsiness
Skin reactions
Bone marrow damage
Rashes
Heart problems

Ethosuximide

Common brand name: Zarontin

This medicine slows messages in the nerves that control muscles.

Possible side effects:

Nausea
Loss of hunger
Vomiting
Feeling tired
Lightheadedness
Drowsiness
Headache
Muscle pain
Rash
Change in urine color

Call your doctor if you have signs of infection such as a fever or sore throat.

Gabapentin

Common brand name: Neurontin

Lowers the amount of a certain protein in the brain to calm it.

Possible side effects:

Sleepiness
Lightheadedness
Feeling tired
Balance and coordination problems
Weight gain
Nystagmus—rhythmic back and forth eye movements

Lamotrigine

Common brand name: Lamictal

This medicine may calm nerve tissue.

Call your doctor right away for:

Rash
Fever
Flu-like symptoms
Swollen glands
Having more seizures

Other possible side effects:

Double or blurred vision
Clumsiness
Lightheadedness
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Drowsiness

Oxcarbazepine

Common brand name: Trileptal

This may change how the nerves spread impulses. This may calm the nerve tissue.

Possible side effects:

Vision changes
Lightheadedness
Nausea or vomiting
Sleepiness
Headache
Feeling tired

Phenytoin

Common brand name: Dilantin

Phenytoin promotes the loss of sodium in nerve fibers. This lowers nerve excitability and the spread of nerve impulses.

Possible side effects:

Bleeding
Swollen gums
Fever
Rashes
Lightheadedness
Drowsiness
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Constipation
Liver and bone marrow damage
Nerve and brain problems
Nystagmus—rhythmic back and forth eye movements

Primidone

Common brand name: Mysoline

Primidone may work by blocking the repeated spread of nerve impulses.

Possible side effects:

Rash
Confusion
Nystagmus—rhythmic back and forth eye movements
Clumsiness
Lightheadedness
Drowsiness

Valproic Acid

Common brand names:

Depakene
Depakote

Valproic acid raises the amounts of a certain protein. This holds back nerve transmissions in parts of the brain.

Possible side effects:

Liver damage
Damage to the baby in the uterus if pregnant
Pancreatitis
Platelet count that is too low—thrombocytopenia
Tiredness, sleepiness
Lightheadedness
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Indigestion, belly pain, loss of hunger
Vision problems
Hair loss
Respiratory infection
Weight gain
Rashes

Benzodiazepines

Common names:

Diazepam
Clonazepam

Diazepam is used more often than clonazepam. They act on nerves by having a calming effect on them.

Possible side effects:

Drowsiness
Breathing problems
Headaches
Dependency

Sources:

About brain tumors. American Brain Tumor Association website. Available at: https://www.abta.org/about-brain-tumors. Updated August 10, 2018.

Astrocytoma and oligodentroglioma in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.... Updated May 13, 2016. Accessed August 10, 2018.

Meningioma. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116926/Meningioma. Updated January 19, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018.

Other drug treatments for adult brain and spinal cord tumors. American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/brain-spinal-cord-tumors-adults/treating/other-drug-treatments.html. Updated November 8, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018.

Overview of intracranial tumors. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/intracranial-and-spinal-tumors/overview-of-intracranial-tumors. Updated June 2018. Accessed August 10, 2018.

Last reviewed June 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP
Last Updated: 8/10/2018

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.