Brain Cancer (cont.)

Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

Treatment plans try to limit or reduce side effects associated with brain cancer treatment. However, most patients will experience some side effects; some side effects can be severe. People who undergo brain cancer treatment should ask about the potential side effects and help decide if the proposed treatment(s) will be worth the benefits and what to do if side effects appear.

Side effects of chemotherapy may include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and weakness. The immune system is usually suppressed, which makes the person more susceptible to infections. Other organ systems such as the kidneys or reproductive organs may be damaged. Although these side effects usually decline as treatment ends, some may not, especially if other organ systems are damaged.

Radiation therapy has side effects similar to those listed above for chemotherapy, but because some organ systems do not obtain a direct radiation dose, the side effects can be less than those of chemotherapy. However, skin damage (reddish or darkened) and skin sensitivity may occur. Hair loss can also occur, especially in areas where the radiation enters the body; some hair loss is permanent.

Surgery can cause both temporary and permanent changes. Side effects such as brain swelling, damage to normal tissue, mental-status changes, muscle weakness, or changes in any brain-controlled function may occur. Although such side effects usually decline over time, some may become permanent.

Patients and brain cancer team members should carefully consider side effects; often some of them can be reduced by medical treatment and may not be permanent. Brain cancer patients who are candidates for treatment should understand that without surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy (or combinations of them) the prognosis or outlook for most patients is poor.