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Brain cancer<\/a> is one of the deadliest diseases \u2014 and early detection is crucial for better outcomes.<\/p>\n There are obvious symptoms like sudden, severe headaches and dizziness, while subtle signs<\/a> such as sweet smells and vision changes can slip under the radar.<\/p>\n Now, an international team of researchers is raising alarm bells about another early warning sign that affects millions of people.<\/p>\n A new study has found a common occurrence that affects millions of adults could be an indicator of brain cancer. DC Studio \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n About 1 in 10 US adults<\/a> experience a seizure at some point. A study published Monday in JAMA Neurology<\/a> found that this abnormal electrical activity in the brain could be one of the first indicators of brain cancer.<\/p>\n Of course, seizures don\u2019t always mean a cancer diagnosis, according to Dr. Randy D\u2019Amico<\/a>, director of the Brain and Spine Metastasis Program and associate professor of neurosurgery at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the seizure is the smoke, not necessarily the fire,\u201d D\u2019Amico told The Post. \u201cThe fire is probably already ongoing within the brain. You have to treat a first-time seizure as a very serious event.\u201d<\/p>\n The study looked at nearly 49,900 Danish adults who had experienced a seizure at an average age of 50.<\/p>\n First-time seizures were connected to short-term risk of developing cancer within a year, as well as a slightly increased long-term risk.<\/p>\n A first-time seizure in adulthood was linked to a higher risk of developing neurological cancer within a year of the incident. Atthapon \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n This link makes sense to D\u2019Amico due to the anatomy of the brain.<\/p>\n \u201cTumors that are in our brain cortex or swelling from these things can disrupt normal electrical activity,\u201d he explained. \u201cAnd when that happens, or increased pressure due to the tumor, these things can provoke seizures.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just the brain affected by seizures, though.<\/p>\n Another notable finding from the study is that a first seizure as an adult could also be an indicator of non-neurological cancers, with the largest risks including lung, bronchial and tracheal cancers.<\/p>\n D\u2019Amico said this could happen because of how cancer affects the brain, regardless of where the disease is in the body.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may not know that you have cancer, but the tumor itself or the cancer that\u2019s developing is causing things like small metastatic disease to the brain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e6253fe060afd07426b3e2627291b498.jpeg\"\/)
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