Brain tumors in elderly patients.

Mental slowing, forgetfulness and personality change are frequent accompaniments of aging; such symptoms are also the first warning signals of an intracranial tumor. Cerebral metastases, malignant astrocytomas and benign meningiomas are the most common types of brain tumor in patients over 65 years of age. The symptoms and signs of a brain tumor depend primarily on its location and on intracranial pressure. In addition to producing dementia and seizures, tumors occasionally present in an apoplectic fashion and mimic the onset of stroke.