In this podcast I explore the diverse perspectives of brain tumours, from their pathology and clinical manifestations to their complications and management. The podcast discusses the common primary brain tumours, particularly highlighting the usually benign meningioma, and the typically aggressive glioblastoma.

I illustrate these themes with such graphic illness memoirs as The Iceberg by Marion Coutts, All in My Head by Jessica Norris, and Difficult Gifts by Courtney Burnett. I also discussed secondary brain tumours using the illustrative memoir of Barbara Lipska titled The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind.

These memoirs helped to demonstrate the sinister and the subtle symptoms of brain tumours, their investigations, and their treatments – chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. This theme also explored the risk factors for brain tumours, and their investigational treatments.

I also explored the fascinating history of brain tumour surgery which chronicled the contributions of such pioneering neurosurgeons as William McEwan, Rickman Godlee and Victor Horsley, and I cited such accounts as that of Andrew Wickens titled A History of the Brain, and that of Michael Aminoff titled Victor Horsley.