Usually, brain metastases respond to therapy if diagnosed and treated initially. These therapies can help in reducing the symptoms, slow tumor growth, and extend life.
Treatment options for the person who has brain metastases often medication, stereotactic radiosurgery, surgery, whole-brain radiation therapy, or some combination of these. In a few cases, immunotherapy and chemotherapy are useful. Tumors can recur after treatment.
Your best treatment option will depend on the size, location and number of the tumors, and also signs and symptoms of the tumor. Talk with your doctor about your goals for treatment.
The treatment will depend on the size, number, and location of the tumors, and also sign and symptoms, overall health, and preferences. Consult with your doctor for the best treatment.
Medications
High-dose corticosteroids can be helpful to ease swelling around the tumors and also lower the neurological signs and symptoms.
Surgery
If in case the surgery is an option for you and your brain metastases are occupied the places that make them for an operation, the surgeon will work to remove as much cancer as possible. Removing a part of the tumor may help to reduce the sign and symptoms.
Radiation therapy
In radiation therapy high energy beams are, such as X-rays, gamma rays are used to kill tumor cells. In the case of brain metastases, your treatment will have the involvement of one or both of the following radiation therapy methods.
Whole-brain radiation- In this procedure radiation applied to the entire brain in order to kill the tumor cells. Individuals undergoing this procedure requires 10-15 treatments over 2-3 weeks.
The side effects of whole-brain radiation may include nausea, hair loss, and fatigue. In the long-term whole-brain, radiation is associated with cognitive decline.
Stereotactic radiosurgery- In stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), each beam of radiation is not powerful particularly, but the point where all the beam meets where the brain tumor is present.