Brain tumor treatment options
Brain Tumor Management & Treatment Options
A brain tumor diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but there are many treatment options available that can help manage the disease. It is important to note that brain tumor management is different for each person and depends on factors like the tumor’s type, location, grade, and your overall health. Not all treatments are appropriate for every patient. It’s important to speak with your doctor or care team to understand which options are right for you. They will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that fits your specific diagnosis and needs.
Download our Patient Discussion Guide to help you ask the right questions, understand your diagnosis, and explore your treatment options with your care team. Use it during appointments to feel more confident, prepared, and in control of your care.
Know Your Options: Brain Tumor Treatments
Surgery in Brain Tumor Management
For many patients, surgery is the first line of treatment for brain tumors. The goal of surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible while preserving brain function.
Types of surgical procedures for brain tumors include:
- Craniotomy – The most common procedure where part of the skull is temporarily removed to access and remove the tumor.
- Biopsy – In some cases, a biopsy may be performed to obtain a tissue sample for diagnosis.
Surgery is often followed by additional treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy to target any remaining tumor cells.
Radiation Therapy in Brain Tumor Management
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. It is commonly used after surgery or when surgery is not an option. There are several types of radiation therapy used to treat brain tumors:
- External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) – This is the most common form of radiation therapy. A machine outside the body delivers targeted radiation to the tumor site. This therapy requires the wound to be fully healed to begin, often times starting 2-8 weeks post craniotomy, and is typically delivered over several weeks.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) – Despite the name, this treatment does not involve surgery. SRS is a form of EBRT that uses highly focused beams of radiation to treat small, precise areas of the brain. It is often used for metastatic brain tumors or when traditional surgery is too risky. Examples of SRS include Gamma Knife and CyberKnife. If surgery is performed, SRS cannot begin until 2-8 weeks post craniotomy, to allow time for the wound to heal.
- Proton therapy – This advanced form of EBRT uses protons instead of X-rays to deliver radiation. Proton therapy allows for precise targeting of tumors, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Similar to SRS and EBRT, proton therapy is delayed 2-8 weeks post-surgery, to allow time for the wound to heal.
- Brachytherapy – Brachytherapy is a form of implantable, internal radiation that delivers treatment directly to the tumor site. For brain tumors, it targets the area where the tumor was removed –helping to limit regrowth while protecting healthy brain tissue.
- GammaTile® (Tile-Based Brachytherapy for Brain Tumors) – GammaTile is an FDA-cleared, bioabsorbable collagen implant embedded with radiation seeds, designed for patients with newly diagnosed malignant (cancerous) brain tumors and patients with recurrent brain tumors. By delivering radiation directly from within—placed into the surgical cavity at the time of tumor removal—GammaTile provides immediate, localized treatment. This approach targets remaining cancer cells when they are at their lowest levels to help prevent regrowth, while minimizing radiation exposure to healthy brain tissue.1
To learn more about GammaTile and whether it may be an option for you, contact us today.
To learn more about radiation therapy for brain tumors, download our Radiation Therapy Options poster.
Chemotherapy in Brain Tumor Management
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. It is often used in combination with surgery and radiation therapy, especially for malignant brain tumors. While chemotherapy is effective for many types of cancer, some brain tumors may not respond as well, depending on the tumor’s genetic makeup and location.
Chemotherapy can be administered orally, through an IV, or sometimes directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to target the brain and spinal cord more effectively.
Targeted Therapy in Brain Tumor Management
Targeted therapy uses drugs to attack specific molecules that are involved in the growth and survival of cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, which attacks all rapidly dividing cells, targeted therapies are designed to attack cancer cells while sparing normal cells. These therapies are often used for tumors with specific genetic mutations.
Immunotherapy in Brain Tumor Management
Immunotherapy helps the body’s immune system recognize and fight cancer cells. While still under investigation for many brain tumor types, immunotherapy holds promise as a potential treatment option for certain aggressive or recurrent tumors. Clinical trials are ongoing to test various immunotherapies in brain cancer treatment.
Combination Therapy in Brain Tumor Management
In many cases, brain tumor treatment involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other therapies to maximize effectiveness. Your medical team will develop a personalized treatment plan based on your specific diagnosis and needs.
The information on this page is intended to be a helpful resource for brain tumor management. However, it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider to determine the best treatment plan for your specific condition.