Brain Cancer

Brain cancer is when a tumor, which is a mass of abnormal cells, grows in your brain. Primary brain tumors begin in your brain and secondary (metastatic) brain tumors originate in other parts of your body and spread to the brain.

At CenterPoint Radiation Oncology, Dr. Morrell provides patient-centered care for many types of brain cancer, including meningiomas and metastatic brain tumors.

Brain cancer symptoms can vary widely. Depending on the size and location of the tumor, you may experience the following signs and symptoms:

• New onset of headaches
• Frequent or severe headaches
• Vision problems
• Unexplained nausea or vomiting
• Difficulty speaking
• Hearing problems
• Balance and coordination trouble
• Gradual loss of sensation in a leg or arm
• Personality changes
• Confusion
• Seizures

Early detection typically allows for a greater range of treatment options for fighting brain cancer. Make an appointment with your oncologist if you experience ongoing brain cancer symptoms.

Brain cancer treatment often involves a multidisciplinary team of experts. At CenterPoint Radiation Oncology, Dr. Morrell works cooperatively with other specialists, including neurosurgeons and oncologists, to ensure you receive the most effective treatment.

Depending on the type, size, and location of your brain tumor, treatment may include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Targeted drug therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Stereotactic radiosurgery

Dr. Morrell specializes in stereotactic radiosurgery, which isn’t a traditional form of surgery because it doesn’t involve cutting. Instead of using a scalpel, radiosurgery uses highly focused beams of radiation to destroy cancerous cells in a very small area.

Radiation therapy uses high-frequency energy beams, like photons, to kill cancer cells. Dr. Morrell may use radiation therapy to treat the entire brain or only the area where a tumor is present.

Whole-brain radiation therapy is more common in cases of metastatic brain cancer when the cancerous cells spread from another part of the body. Precise treatments like stereotactic radiosurgery can target and destroy tumors in sensitive areas of the brain where surgery isn’t an option.

For more individualized treatment of brain cancer, please call CenterPoint Radiation Oncology, or book an appointment online today.