About Brain Tumors

The brain is the center of thought, memory, emotion, speech, sensation and motor function. The spinal cord and special nerves in the head, called cranial nerves, carry and receive messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Brain tumors cause damage because, as they grow, they can interfere with surrounding cells that serve vital roles in our everyday life.

There are two types of brain tumors:

• Primary — a tumor that starts in the brain. Primary brain tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Primary tumors in the brain or spinal cord rarely spread to distant organs.
• Metastatic — a tumor caused by cancer elsewhere in the body that spreads to the brain. Metastatic brain tumors are always cancerous.

Facts About Brain Tumors

The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for brain and spinal cord tumors in the United States are for 2009:

• About 22,070 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord (12,010 in males and 10,060 in females) will be diagnosed. These numbers would likely be much higher if benign tumors were also included.
• Overall, the chance that a person will develop a malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord in his or her lifetime is less than 1 percent.

Treating Brain Tumors

If doctors determine that you have a tumor, the treatment options and prognosis are based on the following factors:

• Tumor type.
• Location and size of tumor.
• Tumor grade (how abnormal the cells are).
• Your age, medical history and general health.

Radiation Therapy Options for Brain Tumors

People with brain tumors should discuss treatment options with several cancer specialists, including a radiation oncologist. A radiation oncologist is a doctor who will help you understand the types of radiation therapy available to treat your tumor. Conventional radiation therapy treatment options for brain tumors include:

• External beam radiation therapy.
• Internal radiation therapy.

Newer Techniques