Diagnosed with a brain tumour? Discover the essential questions to ask about diagnosis, treatment options, risks and second opinions to make informed decisions.
Few conversations are as difficult as being told you have a brain tumour. Whether it was discovered after new symptoms or found incidentally on a scan, it’s normal to feel shocked, frightened or unable to process information clearly.
In that moment, it can be hard to know what to ask, but the right questions help you regain control. They ensure you understand your diagnosis, your treatment options and what happens next.
Below is a practical guide to the most important conversations you should have with your clinical team.
‘Brain tumour’ is a broad term. It is essential to understand:
For example, a Vestibular Schwannoma behaves very differently from a high-grade glioma or brain metastasis. Treatment urgency, prognosis and options vary significantly.
Ask your doctor to explain your MRI findings in clear terms. If needed, request a written summary.
Not all brain tumours require immediate intervention. Some are slow-growing and can be monitored safely with regular MRI scans. Others may require prompt treatment if they are:
Understanding the timeline reduces unnecessary panic.
Treatment may include:
If radiosurgery is mentioned, you may hear about Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a non-invasive technique that delivers highly focused radiation without open surgery.
Ask your team:
A balanced team should explain all reasonable options, not just one approach.
Brain tumours are complex. Decisions are best made by a multidisciplinary team (MDT), typically including:
This collaborative approach ensures that surgery, radiosurgery and systemic treatments are considered objectively.
Centres working closely with leading NHS institutions such as University College London National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery emphasise multidisciplinary review to support evidence-based decisions.
Every treatment carries risk. You should understand:
If surgery is proposed, ask about recovery time and hospital stay. If radiosurgery is suggested, ask about delayed side effects and follow-up imaging.
This is a critical question, and one that is sometimes overlooked.
Ask:
Quality of life matters as much as tumour control, particularly for benign or slow-growing tumours.
Prognosis depends on tumour type and grade. For benign tumours such as meningiomas or vestibular schwannomas, long-term control rates are often excellent. For malignant tumours, outcomes vary depending on grade, genetics and response to treatment.
Ask your team to explain survival data in context, and remember that statistics describe populations, not individuals.
Seeking a second opinion is not a sign of distrust. It is a responsible step, particularly when facing life-changing decisions.
You may wish to seek review if:
Most reputable centres welcome second-opinion referrals and multidisciplinary case reviews.
A brain tumour diagnosis affects more than the body. Anxiety, sleep disturbance and fear are common.
Ask about:
A patient-first approach recognises that emotional wellbeing is part of treatment.
A brain tumour diagnosis is serious, but it’s important to understand that many tumours are treatable, and some are curable. Others can be controlled for many years. The most important thing is that you feel informed, supported and confident in your treatment plan.
If you would like to explore the option of non-invasive Gamma Knife radiosurgery for a brain tumour, contact our team to arrange a confidential consultation.
Centres of Excellence for Stereotactic Radiosurgery treatment of complex Brain Tumours
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