Metastatic Brain Tumours

Overview

Metastatic brain tumours are cancers that grow in the brain through a primary cancer growing in another part of the body. The primary cancer may be lung, colon, breast, lymphoma, leukaemia etc. Brain tumours frequently occur in the cerebrum (80%), the cerebellum (13-16%) and the brainstem (3%). Fifty percent of the time, multiple metastatic brain tumours are present. Most are diagnosed after their primary cancer has been diagnosed and treated. About one-third of people with metastatic brain tumours have not been previously diagnosed with cancer, and their central nervous system symptoms are the first indication of cancer. In about half of these people, the primary site will never be found.