Information on radiotherapy treatment for brain tumours.
Radiotherapy is when high-energy X-rays are aimed at tumour cells to kill them. The aim is to destroy the tumour cells with as little damage as possible to normal cells.
Radiotherapy can be used alone or with other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy. If given after surgery, it can destroy any tumour cells left behind.
Radiotherapy can also be used to control and relieve symptoms. This is called palliative radiotherapy.
External beam radiotherapy is the type of radiotherapy most often used for brain tumours.
The radiation comes from machines called linear accelerators, which aim rays directly at your tumour or the tumour site. The radiation is also aimed at a small area of normal tissue around the tumour just in case the tumour cells have spread. This is called the margin.
Radiotherapy must be carefully planned so that the highest dose is given to the tumour area and as little as possible to the nearby cells.
You will have a CT scan to pinpoint the area to be treated. The dose of radiation will be decided and tightly controlled for your treatment.
You will need to wear a mask during your treatment to make sure your head stays still.
A mask will be made that is moulded from plastic to sit the shape of your face. It can be made from clear plastic (Perspex) or thermoplastic, so you can breathe and speak through it.
Marks will be put on the mask to show where treatment will be given. The mask will be fixed to the table while the treatment is given, to make sure your head stays still.
Some people may feel uncomfortable or confined to start, but many find they get used to it. Tell the staff if you are feeling anxious. They may help you with breathing or relaxation techniques.
Read more about masks for radiotherapy.
During treatment, you will be positioned carefully on a treatment table. Then the machine will move around you so that you receive the precise treatment at different angles.
The treatment normally takes several minutes. It is painless.
Most patients receive radiotherapy as outpatients, travelling to the radiotherapy unit each day.
Your course of treatment can be several treatments over a number of days or weeks (up to 6 weeks). If you are receiving palliative radiotherapy (to relieve symptoms), you will receive between 1 and 10 doses.
External radiotherapy does not make you radioactive. It's completely safe for you to mix afterwards with family and friends, including children and pregnant women.
Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) is a very precise type of radiotherapy. With SRT, the radiotherapy beams are aimed at the tumour from many different directions around your head. Only a very small area is targeted with a high dose of radiotherapy.
The planning process and the machine used for SRT and standard radiotherapy are very similar. You will need to wear a head frame or mask during your treatment.
This treatment is not suitable for all tumours. It depends on things such as the size and location of the tumour.
SRT has fewer side-effects than standard radiotherapy, mainly because the area being treated is smaller. You may feel tired afterwards.
SRT treatment is usually divided into daily doses called fractions. If you only have 1-5 fractions of very high-dose SRT, this is called stereotactic radiosurgery.
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is not actually surgery. It is a type of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) that uses more radiation beams and gives a higher dose.
Usually, 1-5 sessions of SRS are required. One session can take from 30 minutes up to a few fours.
You will need to wear a head frame or mask to keep your head still.
Radiotherapy is given directly to the site of the tumour. Most of the side-effects are related to the part of the body being treated. When the brain is being treated, the most common side-effects are:
The severity of these side-effects will vary from person to person, depending on the amount of treatment received.
Most side-effects develop during or shortly after your treatment and get better within a few weeks.
Late side-effects may develop some time after treatment. Some side-effects may be long term or permanent.
Read more about radiotherapy and its side-effects.
If you feel unwell or have any other side-effect or symptoms - during or at any time after treatment - tell your doctor, nurse or radiation therapist.
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