We have put together a glossary of common neurology and brain tumour terms, explained in plain English, to help you understand your condition more clearly.
Receiving a brain tumour diagnosis can be frightening and overwhelming. It might be a relief to have some answers for the troubling and unexplained symptoms you have been experiencing, but no doubt it also raises a new set of questions. Your medical team will do their best to answer these in clear language with no jargon.
However, the more you know about your condition, the more reassured and confident you will feel to make well-informed decisions about the next steps. Knowledge helps to diffuse fear and it can make your treatment pathway less stressful.
You can always refer to your dedicated clinical nurse specialist for tailored advice, but it’s always useful to have extra resources for those times when you feel daunted by unfamiliar medical terms.
That’s why our team, who specialise in Gamma Knife surgery, have put together a glossary of common neurology and brain tumour terms, explained in plain, simple English.
A benign brain tumour is non-cancerous and doesn’t spread to other parts of the body. However, it’s important to remember that even a benign tumour in the brain can cause life-altering symptoms if it’s pressing on an important area of the brain. In this case, it may be necessary to undergo treatment such as surgery or radiotherapy.
A biopsy is a procedure where a specialist doctor will take a small sample of tumour tissue using a hollow needle. This will be sent for microscopic examination to help confirm the diagnosis and type of brain tumour.
In some cases, cancer can spread from elsewhere in the body to the brain. This is sometimes also called secondary brain cancer, and is a more advanced type of cancer. The most common types of primary cancer (where the cancer first started) associated with brain tumours include lung, breast, bowel and kidney cancer.
A CT (computed tomography) scan is a type of X-ray that is used to create detailed images of the inside of your head. It combines multiple images from different angles to build up a 3D image, and enables doctors to confirm the precise location, size and shape of the tumour. This will inform future treatment decisions.
Despite the name, this is a form of treatment that doesn’t involve a knife. It is a highly focused form of radiosurgery that uses targeted radiation beams to control or stop the growth of abnormal cells.
It’s usually delivered in one session, and the patient can go home on the same day. It’s most suitable for treating smaller tumours with clearly defined boundaries.
A type of brain tumour that starts in the glial cells, which support and protect nerve cells in the brain. Glioblastomas are one of the most common types of brain tumour.
A general medical word for an abnormal area seen on a scan. It doesn’t always mean cancer – it could be a tumour, scar tissue, or another type of change.
A malignant tumour is cancerous. These tumours can grow quickly and sometimes spread to other parts of the brain or body.
When a cancer cell breaks away from its original site (for example, breast cancer) and grows in a new location, such as the brain.
A type of scan that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the brain. Often used to diagnose and monitor brain tumours.
A doctor who specialises in surgery of the brain and nervous system. Even if you’re not having open surgery, a neurosurgeon may still be part of your treatment team.
A doctor who specialises in cancer treatment. If your tumour is malignant, an oncologist may help plan your care.
A scan that shows how active different parts of the brain are. Doctors sometimes use it to see how fast a tumour is growing.
A type of treatment that uses highly focused radiation beams instead of a scalpel. Gamma Knife is one of the most advanced forms of radiosurgery.
This word means precisely targeted in three dimensions. When doctors say “stereotactic radiosurgery,” they mean radiation beams are aimed with pinpoint accuracy at the tumour while avoiding healthy brain tissue.
Tumours are graded from 1 (slow-growing, less aggressive) to 4 (fast-growing, more aggressive). The grade helps doctors decide the best treatment.
This glossary can be a useful reference, although you will also be supported by your healthcare team at every stage. If you’d like some more detailed information about Gamma Knife surgery and the conditions it can treat, please get in touch with us today.
Centres of Excellence for Stereotactic Radiosurgery treatment of complex Brain Tumours
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