Former Sky Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher has a shared a worrying health update surrounding her brain tumour.
Yesterday, presenter Kirsty Gallacher shared a worrying update on her health following years of battling a benign brain tumour.
Diagnosed in 2021 with a benign acoustic neuroma, the former Sky Sports presenter had been receiving radiotherapy to beat the disease.
However, the 49-year-old revealed yesterday to reporters that she had “no idea” if the treatment will work, and that she may need to undergo an operation in the future.
Speaking outside a court, where she had been given a six-month ban for a speeding offence, Kirsty said: “I have a brain tumour – an acoustic neuroma – it is benign, but it’s growing very fast. They have monitored it for the last three years. I am now doing radiotherapy.
“We don’t know if the radiotherapy is going to work, if it will shrink [the tumour] or not. It’s a bit of a ‘suck it and see’ situation. I have lots of appointments. I took a week off to undergo my first session last week. I have to go for regular appointments with a view to more radiotherapy or possibly an operation.”
What is a benign brain tumour?
According to the NHS, a brain tumour is when cells in the brain grow in an uncontrollable way. Benign tumours – also referred to as low-grade or non-cancerous tumours – are less likely to spread than cancerous tumours and usually grow at a slower rate.
This means symptoms will appear more gradually, which could make them easier to spot early on. However, these symptoms can get worse slowly over months or years.
In terms of non-cancerous brain tumours, there are a variety of different types that impact different parts of the brain. While some of these are non-cancerous, some tumours can be either non-cancerous or cancerous.
Two types of brain tumours that can be either are meningioma and glioma. Meningioma affects the thin layer of tissue that covers the brain, while glioma impacts the cells that support and protect the nerve cells in the brain.
Non-cancerous types of tumours include acoustic neuroma and pituitary adenoma. While an acoustic neuroma impacts the nerves connecting the brain to the inner ear, the pituitary adenoma affects the pea-sized gland (pituitary gland) in the brain that produces hormones.
Symptoms of a brain tumour
The NHS says that the symptoms of a brain tumour depend on which part of the brain it is affecting. The symptoms of a brain tumour can include:
- headaches that get worse over time or do not go away – although it’s unusual for a headache to be the only symptom
- seizures (fits)
- feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting)
- feeling sleepy or dizzy
- changes in your eyesight, such as blurred or double vision
- changes in behaviour or personality, such as confusion or problems with memory and concentration
- problems with speech, movement and balance
It is important to be aware of these symptoms as brain tumours can affect everyone, no matter their age. While the NHS says they are more common in older adults, some types can impact children and young adults.
It is advised that you book an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
- you keep getting headaches, they do not go away or they’re getting worse
- you have headaches that wake you up at night or are worse in the morning
- you have any other symptoms of a brain tumour that do not go away
In extreme circumstances, you should call 999 if:
- you have a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful
- someone has a seizure (fit) for the first time
