Brain Metastases

Contributors:
Dr. Paris-Ann Ingledew, radiation oncologist
Medical students: Tim Kong, Lisa Wang and Wynn Tran

Image Credits:
The image of papilloedema was kindly provided by Dr. Colton Wendel.

All other images were either:
- provided by Sparkol VideoScribe,
- original work, or
- derived from public domain images

[HexerPsy]

Hopped from one video to this one. Wishing to add a point on 5:11.

Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT): Preferrably never apply this, since it has the worst side effects for memory and cognitive ability.
Whole brain cannot be repeated.
Typically slows disease progression.
Typical dose: 10x3Gy or 5x4Gy

One would much prefer Stereotactic Radiation Therapy aka SRS (for which MRI is required, for its higher accuracy), since it mostly does kill the meta you can detect on the scan and it has limited side effects for the remaining brain.
SRS can be repeated as long as new metas are not too close to previous repeated sites. And in some situations some overlap is also possible.
Typically kills the treated meta's, but since the metas originate from somewhere else, more will follow. Follow up scan to treat the next metas in 3 to 4 months.
Typical dose: single session of 24, 21, 18 or 15Gy and in some cases 16, or 3x8Gy. Dose is mostly meta size dependant, the smaller the meta, the higher the dose.

The criteria for SRS have also been expanded: you can treat metas up to a total volume of 65cc (cm3). Some hospitals draw an arbitrary line for the max number of metas before they switch to WBRT. But it IS feasable to treat patients with up to 20 tiny metas, but typically the MRI scans show a hand full.

[Dragon-Slayr]

Why has a dark rat and a dark pyramid come to cover the light brain breast. ?

[annk]

Found out today I have brain Mets. Devastating

[Dragon-Slayr]

Why is the rat kangaroo covering the brain at the station?

[claudiafreer]

How long dies one live with this condition?

[ruadhagainagaidheal]

A relative of mine who has used emotional abuse and blackmail against me for over 40 years has lung cancer with large brain mets- 6 months to live- Yay !😂