India, June 24 -- In the modern world, a splitting headache is almost a rite of passage. We blame the looming deadline, the skipped lunch, or a bad night's sleep. We take an over-the-counter painkiller, shrug it off, and carry on. Also read | Why are more young adults being diagnosed with brain tumour? Neurologist separates facts from myths

But according to Dr Amitabha Chanda, a veteran neurosurgeon with over 36 years of experience, that instinctual need to normalise our pain is exactly what gives deadlier threats a head start.

"One of the most persistent challenges in brain tumour care is not the lack of treatment options, but the delay in diagnosis," explained Dr Chanda, director of neurosurgery at CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI, Kolkata, i...