Patient education
Brain metastases occur when cancer cells spread from a primary tumor elsewhere in the body, most commonly lung, breast, melanoma, kidney, or colon cancer, to the.
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Brain metastases occur when cancer cells spread from a primary tumor elsewhere in the body, most commonly lung, breast, melanoma, kidney, or colon cancer, to the brain. They are the most common type of brain tumor in adults, and their diagnosis requires a specialized neurological approach.
Symptoms can include:
Diagnosis typically relies on advanced neuroimaging, particularly gadolinium-enhanced MRI, to detect metastatic lesions. Additional evaluations may include CT scans and other testing to locate the cancer’s primary site if it is not already known.
Sometimes called carcinomatous meningitis, leptomeningeal metastases occur when cancer cells spread to the thin layers of tissue (the meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. LM is less common than parenchymal brain metastases but presents unique diagnostic and treatment challenges.
Symptoms can include:
Diagnosis usually involves MRI of the brain and entire spine, plus a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for cancer cells and other markers of leptomeningeal involvement.
For accessible tumors causing increased intracranial pressure or significant neurological symptoms, neurosurgical resection may be an option. Surgery can provide immediate symptom relief and allows for tissue diagnosis to guide further treatment planning.
Chemotherapy or targeted therapies that can cross the blood-brain barrier can help control cancer growth within the central nervous system. Immunotherapy has also shown meaningful promise in treating certain types of metastatic brain disease, particularly for melanoma and lung cancer.
Delivery of chemotherapy or targeted agents directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, via lumbar puncture or an Ommaya reservoir, can help reach cancer cells in the meninges that systemic treatments may not adequately address.
At Charis Neurology, our neuro-oncology approach centers on personalized care plans that consider each patient’s overall health, type of primary cancer, disease burden, and individual goals. Our services include:
While not all brain metastases or leptomeningeal metastases can be prevented, regular follow-up and imaging are critical for patients with known cancers at elevated risk. Ongoing research is exploring better methods to detect and treat metastatic CNS disease at earlier stages, from targeted therapies and next-generation immunotherapy to blood-based liquid biopsy approaches that may one day detect CNS metastases before symptoms appear.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer and are experiencing new neurological symptoms, or if your oncologist has identified brain involvement, we encourage you to contact Charis Neurology in Lake Mary for a specialist consultation.
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Our team will follow up during business hours. For urgent concerns, please call us directly.
