Surgery for Metastatic Brain Tumors: overview

Brain metastases are tumours that result from the penetration of cancer cells (secondary cancer) that are already in the body into healthy tissues (usually cancer). To some extent, the development of the disease depends on which organ was affected – most often this complication is caused by malignant processes in the lungs, mammary glands, intestines, melanoma.

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Symptoms 

Brain metastases can spread in several ways – by infiltration into the surrounding tissue, but most often through the bloodstream and through the lymphatic pathways. A single metastasis or multiple brain damage can also be detected.

How the disease manifests itself depends on the location of the neoplasm. Often observed: 

• sharp pains, the intensity of which changes when the head is turned; 
• dizziness, up to falls; 
• narrowing of the field of vision and loss of sectors from it, double vision; 
• memory impairment; 
• violation of sensitivity.

Epileptic seizures, cognitive impairment, mental disorders, personality changes can also occur. With the growth of metastases in the brain with cancer, negative phenomena progress, since tumours worsen cerebral circulation, put pressure on neighbouring areas, and penetrate into them. An increase in intracranial pressure due to oedema around the malignancy can cause vomiting during any movement, intermittent breathing, worsening heart function, and even coma.

Treatment

In the presence of metastases in the brain, the treatment is palliative in nature – it is impossible to remove all the numerous nodes, therefore the task of medicine is to alleviate the patient’s condition and prolong life. Surgical methods are extremely rare when there is only one metastatic node. Radiation therapy for brain metastases in combination with chemotherapy is used more often and gives the effect of reducing the manifestations of the disease.