Busy Philipps Says Her Brain 'Felt Broken' for Years Before Doctors Found Malignant Tumour

American actress Busy Philipps has revealed that she spent years feeling as though her brain was 'broken' before doctors discovered a rare malignant tumour in her frontal lobe.

The 47-year-old actress, who had no obvious symptoms such as seizures, underwent surgery after a full-body MRI unexpectedly detected the growth, leaving her to question whether intense emotional changes she had previously blamed on perimenopause may have been connected to the tumour.

Brain 'Felt Broken' Before Diagnosis

Philipps said close friend and former Dawson's Creek co-star Michelle Williams reminded her that she had repeatedly complained about something feeling wrong with her brain in the years before her diagnosis.

'She said, "Busy, you have been saying for the past two years, My brain feels broken,"' Philipps told PEOPLE.

The Freaks and Geeks star said she had felt as though something was 'misfiring' and struggled to understand what was happening.

Philipps also recalled experiencing 'extreme emotional reactions,' including crying until she vomited and sending 'inflammatory' texts when angry. She had previously believed the changes could be related to perimenopause.

However, her neurosurgeon, Dr John Golfinos, did not confirm that the tumour was responsible for those experiences, telling Philipps that the connection was uncertain.

How Busy Philipps' Brain Tumour Was Discovered

Philipps' brain tumour diagnosis came after she underwent a Prenuvo full-body MRI on 12 February.

She had become interested in the scan after reading about it on Instagram. She did not have obvious symptoms of a brain tumour, but said she felt compelled to undergo the screening.

Her primary care doctor had previously told her there was 'no need' for the scan because she was young and healthy and her annual blood work was normal.

Philipps nearly cancelled the appointment amid an emotional week. Her friend and former Dawson's Creek co-star James Van Der Beek had died from colon cancer the previous day, while she was juggling work meetings and family commitments.

The scan ultimately detected a lesion on her brain, leading doctors to order further testing.

Doctors Found Rare Malignant Oligodendroglioma

A subsequent MRI confirmed the seriousness of the discovery. Neurologist Dr Orrin Devinsky reviewed the results and told Philipps the tumour needed to be removed.

She underwent an approximately five-hour operation on 2 March, during which surgeons removed a 2.6cm mass from her brain.

A biopsy identified the tumour as a grade 2 oligodendroglioma, a rare, slow-growing type of brain tumour. Doctors said it is considered malignant because of its potential to regrow over time, although it has a more favourable prognosis than other malignant gliomas.

Golfinos said finding the tumour before Philipps developed seizures was beneficial. Had it been detected later, he said, it could have grown two or three times larger and been considerably harder to remove completely.

Busy Philipps Needed Second Brain Surgery

Philipps initially recovered quickly and returned to work on her new CBS series Cupertino, but suffered another health scare in April.

While visiting her dermatologist for Botox, the doctor noticed that Philipps' surgical incision did not look right and urged her to contact her surgeons immediately.

Doctors discovered a staphylococcus infection in the incision. Philipps underwent a second operation on 27 April to clear the infection and remove one of the small titanium tacks used during her first surgery.

Golfinos said the infection was caught before it became deep, but Philipps admitted the second surgery left her feeling as though she was 'back to square one.'

What Happens Next for Busy Philipps?

Philipps does not currently require chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but will undergo regular scans to watch for any recurrence of the brain tumour.

Golfinos said she has 'a great chance' that the tumour may not return.

For Philipps, one noticeable change has followed surgery. After spending years saying something felt wrong, she said: 'My brain does not feel broken anymore.'