Adult Brain Tumors (cont.)
How are adult brain tumors treated?
Different types of treatment are available for patients with adult brain
tumor. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are
being tested in clinical trials. Before starting treatment, patients may want to
think about taking part in a clinical trial. A treatment clinical trial is a
research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on
new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new
treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become
the standard treatment.
Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. To learn more
about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615. Information about ongoing clinical
trials is available from the NCI Web site. Choosing the most appropriate cancer
treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient, family, and health
care team.
Three types of standard treatment are used.
- Surgery: Surgery is used,
when possible, to treat adult brain tumor, as described in the Description
section of this summary.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment
that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells.
There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a
machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal
radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds,
wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way
the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer
being treated.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy
is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of
cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from
dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle,
the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body
(systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal
column, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect
cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). A dissolving wafer may be
used to deliver an anticancer drug directly into the brain tumor site after the
tumor has been removed by surgery. The way the chemotherapy is given depends on
the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Next: Other types of treatment that are being tested in clinical trials »
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