Brain Metastasis

When cancer cells spread from their original site to the brain, they are brain metastases. Almost any form of cancer can apply to the brain, but lung, breast, colon, kidney, and melanoma are the most likely to do so.

The brain can be affected by a single tumor or many tumors.

Symptoms

Brain metastases can cause a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the location, size, and rate of growth of the metastatic tumors.

• A brain metastasis may present with the following symptoms:
• Headache, sometimes associated with nausea and vomiting
• Changes in mental health, such as memory problems
• Seizures
• Numbness or weakness on one side of the body

Causes

Whenever cancer cells spread outside their original site, they cause brain metastases. Metastasis spreads cells from the bloodstream or lymphatic system to the brain and their subsequent growth.

Primary cancers are metastatic cancers that spread from their original sites. It is called metastatic breast cancer, not brain cancer, when cancer spreads from the breast to the brain.

Factors contributing to risk

The brain can become infected with any cancer, but certain types of cancer are more likely to cause brain metastases, such as:

• Cancer of the lung
• Having a breast cancer
• Cancer of the colon
• Having a kidney cancer
• Melanoma

Diagnosis

Your doctor may recommend several tests and procedures if you are suspected of having brain metastases.