Why Is Gamma Knife Surgery Used To Treat Brain Tumours?

Globally, the number of people being diagnosed with brain cancer has been increasing over the years. Research shows that over 347,000 new cases of brain cancer were recorded around the world in 2019.

Of those, patients in Europe accounted for around 24 per cent of new cases, as well as a similar percentage of deaths due to this illness.

This highlights the scale of the challenge in tackling this disease and also why it’s important to understand your treatment options if you are diagnosed with a brain tumour.

However, it is also vital to recognise that not all brain tumours are cancerous and that your treatment options will therefore vary depending on the type of brain tumour you are diagnosed with. There is no “one-size-fits-all” treatment approach.

For certain types of tumours, Gamma Knife radiosurgery can be highly effective.

What type of brain tumours can be treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery?

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a highly targeted form of treatment for a range of brain tumours. The following are some of the most common conditions that are treated using this technique.

Brain metastases

These are cancerous tumours that develop from primary cancers elsewhere in the body. This is also referred to as secondary brain cancer, because it originated in another part of the body.

Some of the most common symptoms of brain metastases are persistent or worsening headaches, cognitive changes such as confusion or memory loss, numbness or weakness in the limbs and speech or language difficulties.

Several of the consultants on our team offer specialist advice about brain metastases. Professor Andrew McEvoy, Mr Neil Kitchen and Mr Ciaran Hill are those with the most experience in this field at our clinic.

Glioma

By contrast, gliomas are cancerous tumours that originate in the brain or spinal cord, more specifically in the glial cells. Glial cells support neurons, which makes them the primary functional cells in the nervous system.

However, not all gliomas develop at the same rate or in the same way. One of the most aggressive forms of glioma is a glioblastoma, which is a type of diffuse glioma. This simply means that there is no clear margin between the tumour and the surrounding brain tissue.

Within our team, Dr Paul Mulholland, Mr Ciaran Hill, Mr Neil Kitchen and Professor Andrew McEvoy all have specialist knowledge of glioblastoma treatment.

How does Gamma Knife radiosurgery work for brain tumours?

Despite its name, Gamma Knife radiosurgery does not involve making any incisions in your head or brain. This procedure uses multiple converging beams of gamma radiation to deliver a highly targeted dose of radiation to the tumour in your brain.

Because the radiation can be delivered with such precision, the treatment is usually performed in a single session. The reason it is considered such a good treatment option for various brain tumours is that it minimises the level of radiation the healthy surrounding brain tissue is exposed to.

This not only means that the treatment itself has a greater chance of success because it is so highly targeted at the tumour, but also that the side effects you’ll experience are minimised.

Possible side effects after undergoing radiation therapy for a brain tumour include hair loss, fatigue, headache, nausea, blurry vision, skin changes and memory or concentration problems.

While there is no guarantee that you will feel no side effects from your radiosurgery session, the chances of these occurring and being severe is reduced thanks to the precision of Gamma Knife radiosurgery.

What happens during a Gamma Knife radiosurgery session?

On the day of your treatment, you’ll be met by members of the team who will talk you through the process. The first step is to fit a stereotactic frame to your head.

This serves two purposes. First, it prevents your head from moving during the treatment. Second, it enables the clinician to accurately pinpoint the target site for the Gamma Knife radiosurgery.

While it can be a little uncomfortable, the frame isn’t heavy or painful to wear. You’ll have local anaesthetic injections at the four sites where the pins holding it in place sit to make it feel more comfortable.

The next step is either an MRI or CT scan to determine exactly where the Gamma Knife radiosurgery will be concentrated. Following the scan, your neurosurgeon will set out the precise treatment plan based on your tumour.

All of this happens on the same day, so you won’t be waiting weeks for your treatment to start. Once your treatment plan is agreed, you’ll undergo the Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Just as with the scan, you’ll be lying down with your head secured by the frame.

After your treatment, the team will remove the head frame and give you time to rest. Many patients are able to go home the same day, but your consultant will let you know whether they are happy for you to leave or whether they would like you to stay overnight for observation.

Explore the Queen Square website to learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for glioblastoma.