Following a metastatic brain tumor diagnosis, you may have several questions. You’re not alone in that, as most patients typically wonder about things like treatment options and recovery time. By learning more about your metastatic brain tumor, you can be an active participant in your treatment planning process and have input along the way.
The following will address many common questions that patients have following a metastatic brain tumor diagnosis. Use this information to develop a deeper understanding of your condition, the treatment options available and what to expect during your recovery process.
What Is a Metastatic Brain Tumor?
The primary feature of a metastatic brain tumor is it is derived from cancer cells elsewhere in the body, like the lung or breast. These other cancers have spread and grown in the brain. Sometimes, patients don’t know they have the original form of cancer, and it’s the metastatic brain tumor diagnosis that leads to its discovery.
What Are Your Treatment Options?
Because metastatic brain tumors can have different origins, the most effective brain tumor treatment option will vary between patients. Your doctor will develop a treatment plan for you based on your individual tumor as well as your personal health factors. Your treatment may include surgery, whole-brain radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery or a combination approach.
You may notice that chemotherapy is absent from this list. That is because of the body’s blood-brain barrier, which physically prevents many drugs from crossing into the brain. The drugs effective against the cancer cells are unable to reach the tumor site, rendering it an ineffective treatment modality.
Surgery
Traditional surgery is an effective way to remove as much of your tumor as possible. Your surgeon may remove all or part of the tumor, depending on its location, size and impact on nearby structures. Your doctor may recommend surgery if your tumor is too large to treat with other methods alone, if it is small and in an easily accessible location or if a biopsy is necessary to confirm a diagnosis. You may not be a good surgical candidate if you have complicating health conditions, including advanced age.
Metastatic brain tumor surgery must typically be followed by an adjunct therapy, such as radiation. This is because any remaining tumor cells have the potential to regrow into another tumor. Combining the two can eradicate any cells that may be left behind following your surgery.
Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy
Whole-brain radiation therapy involves multiple sessions of low-dose radiation administered to your entire brain, including your tumor. This has long been the gold-standard treatment for metastatic brain cancer but is associated with many unpleasant side effects because of its impact on otherwise healthy brain tissue.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a specialized form of radiation therapy that is becoming the preferred metastatic brain tumor treatment of many doctors. Rather than treating the entire brain, stereotactic radiosurgery delivers a focused beam of radiation at a high dose targeted directly at your tumor, sparing healthy surrounding tissue.
What Are the Risks and Benefits of Treatment?
Your doctor will consider the risks and benefits of any treatment when developing your treatment plan and will only recommend a brain tumor treatment option if the benefits outweigh any risks. While he is the best person to discuss your individual expected outcomes, it can be useful to know the general expected risks and benefits of each metastatic brain tumor treatment option.
Surgery
Benefits include:
- Ability to biopsy the tumor to confirm a diagnosis
- Individualization of the approach, such as removing all or part of the tumor
- Reducing tumor size so it can be effectively treated with radiation
- Typically requires a single operation
Risks include:
- Bleeding, clots and stroke
- Infection at the incision site
- Reactions to general anesthesia
Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy
Benefits include:
- A proven and effective method of treating metastatic brain tumors
- Useful as an adjunct to surgery
- Completed in an outpatient setting
- Dosage can be adjusted to meet treatment needs
Risks include:
- Hair loss
- Skin and scalp irritation
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Permanent neurological deficits
- Stroke
- Coma
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Benefits include:
- Because it targets the tumor directly and spares healthy brain tissue, there are fewer radiation side-effects
- Some patients require only a single treatment session
- No hospital stay
Risks include:
- Though less severe than with whole-brain radiation therapy, some patients will experience headaches, nausea and vomiting
What Is Recovery Like?
Your recovery will be a very personal process and depends on the treatment you undergo. However, you can expect to be given a follow-up schedule of visits with your doctor and periodic imaging to ensure your tumor has not returned. It is vital that you adhere to this schedule and keep in touch with your doctor to so any recurrence can be caught and treated as soon as possible.
Continue the Discussion
If you still have questions or concerns, be sure to bring them up with your personal doctor at your next appointment. He will be the best person to discuss your individual condition and treatment plan and can expand on the information you have learned today. Continue to learn more about your metastatic brain tumor and treatment options as you progress along your road to recovery, and you will be grateful for the peace of mind it will provide.