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NTRACRANIAL SECONDARY TUMOURS
Metastatic (or secondary) brain tumours develop when cancerous cells in another part of the body spread to the brain
Also called cerebral secondary brain tumours and brain metastases, metastatic brain tumours form when the cells of a primary cancer in another part of the body spread to the brain. Any cancer can metastasise (spread) to the brain but lung, skin, breast, colon and kidney cancer tend to be the main ones.
Brain metastases are the most common form of tumour in the brain. It is estimated that 20% to 40% of all patients diagnosed with cancer will develop secondary cancer in the brain, the most common types of cancers that result in secondary tumour of the brain are lung cancer, breast cancer, malignant melanoma, kidney cancer and colon cancer (in decreasing order of frequency).
The good news is, there are effective treatments that offer new hope and make it possible to experience a consistent and uncompromised quality of life.The number of patients who receive treatment for brain metastases is increasing every year. This is due to the many improvements in detection, diagnosis and treatment, and to the fact that patients live longer with their primary cancer.
Your symptoms will often depend on the size, location and rate of growth of the metastatic brain tumour. Generally speaking, they might include
If your oncologist or neurosurgeon thinks you may have a metastatic brain tumour, they may recommend further tests.
If you've been diagnosed with a metastatic brain tumour, your oncologist or neurosurgeon will explain your treatment options to you. These might include:
Brain tumours can affect your vision, motor, speech and thinking skills. At HCA UK, we offer comprehensive rehabilitation therapy services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy to help you manage the effects of brain tumours.
In Gamma Knife treatment side effects are rare. For example, the risk of brain injury leading to problems with memory and concentration is lower with radiosurgery than with Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (WBRT).
Gamma Knife surgery doesn't require an incision or the hair to be shaved before the treatment. The key to the success of Gamma Knife radiosurgery is its unique ability to precisely deliver many individual beams of high intensity radiation, targeting even the smallest tumour with sub-millimetre precision. Each beam has a relatively low energy, so the radiation has virtually no effect on the healthy brain tissue it passes through.
At the focal point, however, all the beams converge to deliver a high dose of radiation that kills the cancer cells, even in deep-seated tumours with irregular shapes. Gamma Knife radiosurgery may be used as the primary treatment method or as a boost or adjunct to other treatments, such as WBRT or surgery.
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This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.