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Robert Miller MD
www.aboutcancer.com
Lung: 16 to 20%
Melanoma: 7%
Kidney: 7 to 10%
Breast: 5%
Colorectal: 1 to 2%
The most common causes of brain metastases in adults
with their approximate frequency are:
Lung — 50 percent
Breast — 15 to 20 percent
Unknown primary 10 percent
Melanoma — 10 percent
Colon and rectum 5 percent
Symptom Patients %
Headache 42
Focal weakness 27
Mental change 31
Seizure 20
Gait ataxia 17
Sensory disturbance 6
Speech problems 10
Note that tumors may cause symptoms on
the opposite side of the body
Brain Swelling – brain tumor often cause swelling or
edema which creates pressure on the brain, with headaches
and nausea, steroids like Decadron (dexamethasone) will
decrease this pressure
Brain Imaging
Glioblastoma
Certain brain
tumors .e.g.
glioma have a
distinct
appearance on
MRI scan . With
irregular borders
and necrotic
center
Glioblastoma
cells in green,
spread diffusely
through the brain
and are hard to
target accurately
Brain Metastasis as seen on an MRI Scan, the
sharp margins may make this a better case for
highly targeted radiation
Normally the radiologist can tell the difference
between a brain tumor and a stroke (if not
sometimes a biopsy is necessary)
Other Brain Tumors that are NOT cancer
PET scan showed an abnormal area in the left frontal lobe and MRI
confirmed this as a brain metastasis from breast cancer
Brain Radiation
Jan 2011 - Radiosurgery Aug 2012 – Treated tumor is virtually gone, but
there is a new tumor on the opposite side of the
brain
Radiation Doses
Whole brain: 20 – 40 Gy in 5 to 20
fractions
Radiosurgery: 15Gy (3.1 – 4cm), 18Gy
(2.1 to 3cm) or 24Gy (2cm or less)
How often does whole brain radiation
help?
WB+SRS SRS
1 year 97.3% 3.2%
Better than whole brain if single lesion and good performance patient in the
RTOG 95-08 Trial
Complications of Radiosurgery
RTOG WB S RS
Robert Miller MD
www.aboutcancer.com