Brain Metastases

Brain Metastases Overview

Brain metastases, also known as secondary brain tumors or metastatic brain tumors, are cancerous tumors that spread to the brain from elsewhere in the body. Tumors that originate in the brain are known as primary brain tumors.

A metastatic brain tumor usually contains the same type of cancer cells found at the primary cancer site. Many different cancers can spread to the brain through the bloodstream, but the following are the most likely to cause brain metastases:

• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Lung cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Melanoma

In This Article

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. Treatments
4. Common Questions
5. Resources
6. Videos
7. References

Brain Metastases Treatments

The main treatments for brain metastases are surgery and radiation therapy. Stereotactic radiosurgery, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy may also be used and are all offered by the Barrow Brain Tumor & Oncology Program.

Additionally, your neuro-oncologist may prescribe medications to alleviate certain symptoms. This may include anti-seizure drugs to prevent additional seizures or steroids to reduce swelling in the brain caused by the tumor. 

Neuro-Rehabilitation for Brain Metastases

During and after treatment for a brain metastasis, neuro-rehabilitation may help you regain function and independence. Rehabilitation does not reverse brain damage, but it can help you achieve the best possible long-term outcome.

Each patient’s rehabilitation journey is unique, but it may include:

• Physical therapy to help you regain lost muscle strength and motor skills
• Occupational therapy to help you return to everyday activities at home in and in the community
• Speech therapy to help you with speech difficulties
• Recreation therapy to enhance your overall quality of life 

Individualized Care

There is no single recipe or “cookbook” approach that works best for everyone with a brain tumor. Every brain tumor is unique, as is each patient. Personalized medicine approaches, such as tumor profiling to look for specific gene mutations, can help determine the best therapies available to you. 

Quality of Life Considerations

Brain tumor treatment should be about more than extending life; it should also be focused on optimizing quality of life. Access to a variety of neuro-rehabilitation specialists is important because they can help you maximize your independence and return to a fulfilling life with renewed self-esteem.

At Barrow, we offer a Brain Cancer Survivorship Program to foster relationships between families who have been affected by brain tumors and provide ongoing support.