World Cancer Day is on 4 February, which aims to highlight the progress that has been made in treating cancer, and the numerous challenges that cancer patients still face. One of the most challenging types of cancer to treat is brain cancer, yet this remains an underresearched and underfunded area of medical science.
At Amethyst Radiotherapy, we provide one of the most effective and advanced treatments for both benign and cancerous brain tumours: Gamma Knife surgery. This isn’t surgery in the traditional sense, because it does not involve making physical incisions into the head. It’s a specialised form of stereotactic radiotherapy.
Here’s a closer look at the aims of World Cancer Day and the specific challenges faced by brain tumour patients, the main approaches to treatment, and who could benefit from Gamma Knife surgery.
A personalised approach to care
The theme for 2025’s World Cancer Day is “United by Unique”, and the aim is to shift the focus to treating the person as well as the disease. Everyone’s experience of cancer is different, and this can be particularly true when it involves a cancer of such a complex organ as the brain.
The importance of early diagnosis
Early diagnosis is essential for the best treatment outcomes, yet the symptoms of a brain tumour can affect everyone in unique ways. Furthermore, some types of brain tumour are relatively rare, and the symptoms can be similar to other health conditions.
This means that there can be a general lack of awareness of the warning signs, or they can be misdiagnosed, delaying the beginning of potentially life-saving treatment.
What are the most common symptoms of a brain tumour?
As previously mentioned, brain tumour symptoms are diverse. Different areas of the brain control every essential function in the body, and the symptoms can depend on the size, type, and location of the tumour. According to the Brain Tumour Charity, about half of all brain tumour patients present to their GP with the primary symptom of headaches.
It’s important to note that in most cases, a headache is not a sign of a brain tumour. However, a headache that is worse in the morning; does not respond to painkillers; gets worse over time; or is more intense during vigorous movements such as coughing, bending or shouting may be a sign of a tumour.
If the headaches are accompanied by other new symptoms, this may also require investigation. For example, nausea and vomiting; muscle weakness or numbness; seizures; dizziness; changes in vision; personality changes; memory problems or other cognitive difficulties.
How are brain tumours treated?
As with the symptoms, the treatment of a brain tumour depends on the size, type, and location of the tumour, as well as factors individual to the patient, such as their age, general state of health, and personal wishes. The main treatments are surgery; radiotherapy; chemotherapy; and steroids.
Who is most suitable for radiotherapy?
Radiotherapy involves using precisely targeted beams of radiation to kill the tumour cells, while causing no or minimal damage to the surrounding healthy brain tissue. It can be used when conventional surgery is considered too risky; to destroy any tumour cells that remain after surgery; or to slow down the progression of a tumour or prevent it returning.
What is Gamma Knife Surgery?
Gamma Knife is a form of stereotactic radiosurgery, which involves directing multiple gamma radiation beams from different angles at the tumour site. This means that the tumour cells receive a much higher dose of radiation than via standard radiotherapy, and usually the patient only requires one treatment session.
The medical team will use highly advanced imaging technology, including MRI or CT scans of the brain, to precisely locate the size and position of the tumour. This enables them to calculate the intensity and angle of the gamma rays to within a fraction of a millimetre, ensuring that the surrounding cells remain untouched.
Gamma Knife surgery is most often used to treat smaller tumours with a defined edge, such as acoustic neuromas, meningiomas and pituitary adenomas, and functional disorders like trigeminal neuralgia.
However, as we have seen, all brain tumour cases are unique, and ultimately the treatment pathway will depend on multiple factors.
Gamma Knife surgery is less invasive and will usually have fewer side effects than other forms of radiotherapy or surgery. It’s considered to be an effective form of treatment when used for certain types of brain tumour, and usually the patient experiences minimal discomfort and can return to their normal activities within a day or two.
The wider picture of cancer treatments
Of course, even the most cutting-edge treatments can’t take away all of the distress and disruption that a brain tumour or other cancer causes for the patient and their loved ones.
There are many challenges to face, such as the impact on careers and finances; changes in personality; fatigue that makes completing usual activities impossible; extra caring or financial responsibilities placed on partners or family members; and much more.
The World Cancer Day website explains that by taking a people-centred approach to care, patients can have more autonomy over the whole process. It can widen their access to treatments, close disparities and remove barriers, and give them the opportunity to make well-informed decisions about how, when and where they are treated.
This can lead to a higher quality of care and better outcomes for the patient, both during the treatment process and the recovery phase.
Furthermore, a humanised approach to the healthcare system takes into account the patient’s emotional as well as physical wellbeing. It increases the level of trust and improves communication between the medical team, the patient, and their family and friends.
This means that the patient is treated within the broader context of their social, cultural and spiritual life. Ultimately it helps healthcare systems to become more inclusive and closely integrated with the needs of the community that they serve.
This is not to put all the onus on the patient to drive change, as it needs to be supported by governments and organisations with new policies, funding, resources, training and education. However, by acknowledging and sharing your own story, it can contribute to the bigger aim of equitable and first-class cancer treatment for all.