Does whole brain radiotherapy treat brain metastases?

Brain metastases are cancer deposits that have travelled to the brain from another part of the body. Treating the whole brain allows radiation to reach several deposits at once and areas too small to see on a scan. It may be considered when there are multiple metastases, when disease is spread throughout the brain, or when focused treatment is not suitable. The aim may be to shrink tumours, slow their growth, and ease symptoms such as headache, seizures, weakness, or changes in thinking.

Treatment does not remove the original cancer elsewhere in the body. Your oncology team combines brain-directed treatment with a plan for the primary cancer and considers tumour type, number and size of lesions, symptoms, previous treatment, and overall health.

Ask whether whole brain radiotherapy or a focused approach fits the number and location of metastases seen on your brain imaging. Your team may discuss a planning scan, a fitted head support, the treatment schedule, medicines to reduce swelling, and ways to manage fatigue or hair loss. Tell the team about seizures, headaches, medicines, and any change in memory, balance, speech, or strength. Keep follow-up appointments so symptoms and scan findings can guide the next step.

Contact your oncology team promptly for a new or worsening headache, repeated vomiting, a seizure, increasing sleepiness, confusion, new weakness or numbness, trouble speaking, or a sudden change in vision or balance. A seizure, loss of consciousness, or rapidly worsening neurological symptom needs emergency care. These symptoms can reflect swelling or other urgent problems and should not wait for the next planned visit.

Which areas of my brain need treatment, and what is the goal of radiotherapy for me? How will you balance whole-brain treatment with focused radiotherapy or medicines? What symptoms should prompt an urgent call, and how will you monitor my response?