Bupa

Gamma Knife Centre

Information on the treatment of Brain Metastases using Gamma Knife Surgery

• Acoustic neuroma
• Arteriovenous malformation
• Meningioma
• Brain Metastases
• Pituitary tumours
• Trigeminal neuralgia

Brain Metastases

 

What is brain metastases?

Brain metastases is a cancer that has spread to the brain from another site in the body, more commonly but not exclusive to the breast and lung.

 

What are the symptoms of brain metastases?

Many patients have no or minimal symptoms, and metastases normally found during medical investigations. Any symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea or other symptoms related to the nervous system will very much depend on the size and location of any metastases. 

 

How is brain metastases diagnosed?

Diagnosis includes MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and head CT (computed tomography) scanning.

 

What is the treatment for brain metastases?

Radiation is the most commonly used treatment for brain metastases.  Gamma Knife surgery is the most frequently applied radiosurgery technology in the treatment of brain metastases with the largest published evidence.

 

So far more than 163,000 patients with brain metastases have been treated using the Gamma Knife. For many patients Gamma Knife radiosurgery offers superior results avoiding longer hospital treatments and invasive interventions. Gamma Knife radiosurgery controls and destroys the brain metastasis locally. The tumour shrinks slowly following Gamma Knife treatment and tumour growth is stopped. Generally radiosurgery achieves local tumour control in 85-90% of patients.

 

Further information on brain metasases

Please contact the Gamma Knife Centre directly or go to Brain Tumour UK, Cancer BACUP, Dictionary for Brain Tumour patients, or see Further Clinical data on the treatment of brain metastases using Gamma Knife surgery.