Other Malignant Tumors
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Primary Malignant Brain Tumors Malignant tumors are life-theatening, invade surrounding normal brain tissue, and usually grow rapidly. These tumors generally do not have distinct borders and may spread to other areas in the brain or spine. Gamma Knife radiosurgery may be the primary treatment if the patient is not hightly symptomatic and does not require open-skull surgery. It is frequently used in combination with conventional fractionated radiation (radiotherapy), and or chemotherapy as well. Radiosurgery may be a secondary treatment after conventional surgery. In these cases radiosurgery acts to assist in killing any malignant cells that may be left in the tumor bed. Treatable tumors must be <4 cm in size. Some signs and symptoms of a brain tumor may be seizure, headache, movement and coordination problems, memory or processing changes, and personality changes. Also, nausea and vomiting, lethargy, speech problems can occur. For more information go to: www.irsa.org Other Primary Malignant Brain Tumors Other less common malignant tumors, which may be treated with the Gamma Knife are chondrosarcoma, hemangiopericytomas, or other lesions. |