Treatment
Up to 25 % of patients with cancer will develop metastatic tumors of the central nervous system. In the last decade the importance of aggressive management of intracranial brain metastases has been recognized, specifically the important role of radiosurgery. Gamma Knife radiosurgery for appropriate brain metastases usually results in durable control of the treated tumor and low risk. A recent national report suggests that Gamma Knife may be more effective and have a lower rate of complications than LINAC radiosurgery for metastatic tumors of the brain.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery may be used in recurrent disease after whole brain radiation therapy as well as an adjunctive or definitive therapy of newly diagnosed disease with one or a few initial lesions. Unlike conventional radiation therapy, the response to Gamma Knife radiosurgery appears to be as good for so-called “radioresistant” tumors (such as renal cell carcinoma and melanoma) as it is for radiosensitive tumors. Also, the likelihood of cognitive deficits should be lower with Gamma Knife radiosurgery than for whole brain radiation therapy.
Physician referral, patient self-referrals, second opinions and case reviews are welcome and can be arranged by calling our physicians at the numbers listed on the faculty page or through Cleveland Clinic Gamma Knife Center at 888.664.5223. More information, including bibliographies and reprints of scientific articles on specific Gamma Knife procedures are also available at these same numbers.
To schedule an evaluation with a Cleveland Clinic Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center specialist, please call our Patient Access Coordinator at 216.636.5860, or toll-free at 866.588.2264.
