BRAIN METASTASIS

What is Brain Metastasis?

Brain metastases are the type of metastases that spreads from the primary tumor site to the brain. Nearly all types of cancer can spread to the brain but the most common types are lung, breast, colon, kidney, and melanoma.

Brain cancer and brain metastases are different from each other, brain metastases are more common than primary brain cancer. Each year more than 150,000 individuals are diagnosed with brain metastasis while this amount is around 17,000 for primary brain tumors.

Brain metastases may form in single or multiple locations in the brain and may form one or more than one tumor in the brain.

Treatment for brain metastasis is based on relieving the symptoms, improving the functions, and taking under control cancer and the metastasis tumor within the brain.

What are the Symptoms of Brain Metastases? 

Symptoms of brain metastases change according to the location, size, and number of tumors in the brain. Most commonly the brain metastases cause expansion of lesions and increased ICP. As the ICP increases the individual will start to show the symptoms of headache, vomiting, and disturbance of consciousness. The individuals with brain metastasis mostly have the symptoms below;  

  • Headache
  • Sleepiness
  • Memory problems,
  • Changing in emotions or acts,
  • Hearing, swallowing or vision problems,
  • Seizures
  • Nausea or vomiting

Treatments for Brain Metastases in Turkey (Türkiye)

Brain metastasis treatments in Turkey include medication, surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, whole-brain radiation therapy, or some combination of these treatments. 

In Turkey, mostly oncologists, radiation therapists, and neurosurgeons work together during the treatment of brain metastasis and will consider the right treatment options that fit the individual’s overall health. The medical teams and hospitals in Turkey use the latest technologies and treatment options to provide the best-managed health program during the treatment of brain metastasis. 

Treatment options for brain metastasis change according to the type of primary cancer. In most cases treatment starts with systemic medicines that treat cancer cells throughout the entire body. These types of medicines help to reduce swelling around brain metastases. 

During treatment of brain metastasis, local treatments such as surgery or radiation that directly targets the brain may also be recommended by the physician. Radiation therapy is effective in destroying brain metastasis cancer cells. Radiation therapy helps to improve symptoms and prevents cancer cells from getting worse. 

In the existence of one or two lesions, the doctor may recommend surgery as an option for brain metastasis. In Turkey, the neuroendoscopy technique which is a less invasive form of brain surgery can be planned for brain metastasis treatments according to the tumor’s location. 

Whole-brain radiation therapy is used when there are more than a few areas of cancer metastasis in the brain. 

All of the treatment options can be planned as a combination of one another. 

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