The brain controls our neurologic function. This includes mood, memory, strength, sensation and coordination. Tumors in the brain take up space and push on the brain. This can cause symptoms such as headaches, nausea, seizures, weakness,
difficulty with speech and changes in vision or hearing. Unfortunately many times brain tumors have no symptoms and are found incidentally on MRI.

Treatment of brain tumors depend upon their nature, location & symptoms they cause. Treatment modalities primarily include surgery & radiation therapy. There are two general types of brain tumors: A primary tumor starts in the brain. It can be benign or malignant (more likely to grow and/or invade the normal functioning brain). Primary tumors in the brain or spinal cord rarely spread to other sites in the body. A metastatic tumor is caused by cancer elsewhere in the body that spreads to the brain. Metastatic brain tumors are always malignant and are much more common than primary brain tumors. The most common primary cancers which metastasize to the brain are Lung, breast, colon, melanoma & kidney.

Radiation therapy involves the precise use of high energy X-rays or particles to
safely and effectively treat brain tumors. Radiation works within tumor cells by
damaging their ability to grow. Healthy cells near the tumor may be affected by
radiation, but they are able to repair themselves in a way tumor cells cannot.
Radiation therapy can be used after surgery, or in some cases, instead of surgery.

External beam radiation therapy involves a series of outpatient treatments by high energy X rays using a linear accelerator, or linac. Treatment planning includes undergoing a simulation CT scan and an MRI scan to properly delineate the tumor. Radiation treatment plans are created to deliver precise doses of radiation to the areas of the brain at risk while avoiding normal organs. Different techniques can be used to give radiation for brain tumors and we have now moved from 2D anatomical planning to highly conformal treatment techniques which include IMRT, IGRT, Rapidarc and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS/ SRT).

Indications for treatment are benign tumors like Meningioma, Pituitary tumors, Craniopharyngioma, AVMs, Hemangioblastoma, Glomus jugulare, Pineocytoma, Chordoma, Vestibular Schwanomma, Ganglioglioma, etc and Functional indications like
Trigeminal Neuralgia. Malignant Indications include Primary Brain tumors including Gliomas, Ependymomas, & secondary tumors like Brain metastases.