Faculty Advisor(s)

Paula Pate-Schloder

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Abstract

This project explains the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery compared to whole-brain radiation therapy in managing cognitive function and improving the quality of life in patients diagnosed with brain metastases. Metastatic brain cancer is caused when cancer spreads to the brain from other areas of the body. The cancerous cells will break away from their original location and travel through the bloodstream or lymph system. Stereotactic radiosurgery is the administration of high-dose radiation that is delivered in a single or up to five sessions to a specific brain tumor under the guidance of real-time imaging. SRS patients allow for a similar survival rate, but a generally better cognitive function compared to WBRT patients. A setback of SRS treatments is the risk of missing remnants of minuscule tumors leading to tumor regrowth. Brain metastases can be treated on three different types of machines such as a linear accelerator, gamma knife, or proton beam therapy. A case study involving a 56-year-old woman who was originally diagnosed with carcinoma of the left breast in 2009, which later metastasized into her lungs in 2020 was cured of both cancers. In late 2020, and early 2021 cancer metastasized into her brain where her doctor suggested stereotactic radiosurgery. With further research on SRS treatment, it can only advance patient outcomes and treatment options for the future.

Publication Date

2022

Document Type

Poster

Department

Medical Imaging

Keywords

stereotactic radiosurgery, whole-brain radiation therapy, brain metastases, linear accelerator, gamma knife, proton beam therapy

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Treatment of Brain Metastases Using Stereotactic Radiosurgery

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