Neurological diseases are rising, but many people still misunderstand or overlook them. From depression to brain aneurysms, stroke and brain cancer — more cases are appearing, and delayed diagnosis is costing lives. Aneurysms and brain cancer are different medical problems, but some overlap exists and is worth understanding.

What Is a Brain Aneurysm?

A brain aneurysm (cerebral aneurysm) happens when a weak spot in a blood vessel in the brain starts bulging out. This bulge can stay silent for years or suddenly burst. If it bursts, it causes a subarachnoid haemorrhage — a severe type of stroke with a high risk of death or serious disability.

Before a rupture, symptoms may feel mild and often go unnoticed. People may get headaches, vision changes, dizziness, or localised pain. After a rupture, symptoms become severe — a sudden, very bad headache (often described as the worst ever), vomiting, seizures, or even loss of consciousness.

How Common Are Brain Aneurysms in India?

Brain aneurysm cases are increasing. Here’s what the data shows:

• Around 2–3% of people in India may have an unruptured brain aneurysm.
• Indian hospitals diagnose 10,000 to 20,000 cases of ruptured aneurysms each year. But many cases still go undiagnosed.
• These ruptures (Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage) cause about 10% of all strokes in India, according to the Indian Stroke Association.

India faces a major problem: late diagnosis. Low awareness and confusion with other neurological disorders often delay treatment.

Who’s More at Risk for Brain aneurysm?

1. Age and Gender: Brain aneurysms happen more often in adults aged 40–60. Women are slightly more affected than men, especially after menopause. Researchers believe hormonal changes may weaken blood vessel walls.

2. High Blood Pressure: India struggles with undiagnosed or poorly managed high blood pressure. It’s one of the top risk factors for aneurysms and ruptures. About one in three adults in India has high blood pressure, and many don’t know it.

3. Smoking and Tobacco Use: India has one of the highest numbers of tobacco users in the world — both smokers and users of smokeless tobacco. Tobacco weakens blood vessel walls and raises the risk of aneurysms. The risk is especially high in men over 40 who live in cities and smoke.

4. Alcohol Abuse: Heavy drinking, especially binge drinking, spikes blood pressure and can cause hidden aneurysms to burst. Some states like Kerala, Punjab, and the northeast, where alcohol use is high, also report more alcohol-related brain issues.

5. Genetic and Hereditary Factors: Doctors often miss familial aneurysms in India because genetic testing is limited. But if a close family member has had a brain aneurysm or stroke, the risk increases.

How Is a Brain Aneurysm Diagnosed?

Doctors use CT scans and MRIs with angiography to find brain aneurysms. But many patients struggle to get these tests in time. Some receive the wrong diagnosis because their early symptoms look like migraines, vertigo, or tension headaches — until the aneurysm bursts.

What’s the Connection of Aneurysm With Brain Tumours or Brain Cancer?

Brain aneurysms and brain tumours are different, but they can overlap in some ways:

1. Vascular Tumours

Some fast-growing tumours, like glioblastomas or metastatic tumours, create new blood vessels. These new vessels can lead to aneurysms in nearby arteries. (Fast-growing tumors can cause new blood vessels to form, which may lead to aneurysms)

2. Radiation Therapy After Cancer

Many cancer patients, especially children with brain cancer or with head-and-neck cancers get radiation therapy. Over time, radiation can weaken blood vessels in the brain and raise the risk of aneurysms years later. (Radiation therapy over time can weaken blood vessels in the brain)

3. Shared Risk Factors

High blood pressure, smoking, and genetic disorders can cause both aneurysms and some tumours, especially in older adults.

4. Tumour Pressure Effects

Some tumours press on nearby arteries and stretch them. This pressure may lead to aneurysms. In rare cases, doctors find both a tumour and an aneurysm during brain surgery.

Can Brain Cancer Directly Cause Aneurysms?

Brain cancer doesn’t directly cause aneurysms, but it creates conditions that make them more likely. For example:

• Tumours release enzymes and inflammatory substances that weaken nearby blood vessels.
• VEGF inhibitors (a drug type used in brain cancer) affect how blood vessels form and may weaken them.
• High-dose chemotherapy and radiation can damage blood vessels long after treatment ends.

So, can brain tumours and aneurysms happen at the same time? Yes. Some patients have both conditions at once.

Prevention and Awareness in India

You can prevent many brain aneurysms by managing controllable risks:

• Know your blood pressure and check it often.
• Avoid tobacco in all forms — it raises the risk of brain diseases and cancer.
• Don’t ignore constant headaches or unusual neurological symptoms. Early diagnosis saves lives!

TLDR;

Brain aneurysms are serious health problems that often go undetected in India. While aneurysms are different from brain cancer, they can share some causes, risk factors, or treatment-related complications.

To save lives, India needs better public awareness, access to scans in rural areas, and doctors who think beyond migraines when diagnosing headaches. As healthcare improves, we must focus on early detection and prevention.

One scan can be the difference between life and sudden death.