Advanced Radiation Therapy for Brain Cancer

At Minneapolis Radiation Oncology, we bring advanced radiation therapy close to home, with 11 locations across the Twin Cities, Brainerd Lakes Area, and Western Wisconsin. Count on the cancer specialists at MRO to be here for you, with care, precision, and compassion.

What is brain cancer?

Brain and other nervous system cancers are among the most complex and serious forms of cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 126 different types. In the U.S., brain or nervous system tumors affect about 6 in every 1,000 people, and can have life-altering physical, cognitive, and psychological impacts on a patient’s life. Almost 70% of brain tumors are benign and don’t spread to nearby tissue, according to the American Brain Tumor Association, but they still cause problems in your brain by pressing on nearby tissue.

Overall, the chance that a person will develop a primary malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord is less than 1%. The risk for men (about 1 in 143) is slightly higher than that for women (about 1 in 185), although certain types of tumors are more common in women. – The American Cancer Society

Cancer is a term reserved for malignant tumors, which can grow and spread aggressively, overpowering healthy cells. The cancer can also spread to other parts of the body.
Brain cancer spares neither children nor adults. The National Cancer Institute does not identify any specific causes, nor any specific preventive measures for brain cancer. But exposure to certain chemicals, such as pesticides, petroleum, synthetic rubber, and vinyl chloride may increase your risk, as does previous radiation therapy to the head.

Cancer tumors that start in the brain, or primary brain tumors, are relatively rare, and different from more common tumors that start in other organs and then metastasize – spread – to the brain. Treatment differs as well.

“Knowledge is power. When patients are fully informed about their cancer and treatment options, they become empowered partners in shared decision-making.”
Hunter Gits, MD
MRO | Fairview Southdale
MRO | Fairview Ridges