Tumours of the brain and spinal cord


Tumours of the brain and spinal cord affect people of all ages, from childhood to old age. They are not amongst the most common cancers affecting the general population but are still surprisingly frequent. They account for 2–3% of all primary tumours, and each year approximately 200 patients with these tumours are seen in Addenbrooke's. Many other tumours are more common, but for individual patients, brain and spinal-cord tumours cause the greatest loss of life of any tumour.

 

The CNS Unit at Addenbrooke's

Tel: 01223 586 705 hospital extension x 6705)

The management of patients with brain tumours in Cambridge is carried out by a multidisciplinary team of:

  • Neurosurgeons, who perform any surgery required;

  • Neuroradiologists, who image the tumour;

  • Neuropathologists, who look at the tumour tissue under a microscope;

  • Neurologists, who assess the effect of the tumour on the patient's body;

  • Neuro-Oncology Team, who offer advanced radiotherapy treatment (including conformal radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery), and chemotherapy.

This close liaison facilitates multidisciplinary care for patients with these tumours.

 

Treatments


Surgery and radiotherapy are the mainstays of treatment for these cancers. Recent developments in radiotherapy, including the use of stereotactic and conformal radiotherapy, as well as stereotactic radiosurgery, have considerably improved the treatment of these tumours. There is also an active chemotherapy programme.

The patients that are seen

The CNS Team sees all adult patients with neurological cancers from the whole of East Anglia. Where appropriate, patients who live closer to other radiotherapy centres are referred on directly, or via the Oncology Centre.

Facilities in the Oncology Centre

The Addenbrooke's Oncology Centre provides all the up-to-date facilities for the management of brain and spinal-cord tumours. This includes computerised tomography (CT) planning, conformal radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery.

Special clinical and research interests

  • Development of three-dimensional radiotherapy treatment planning for conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT);

  • The role of stereotactic radiotherapy in the management of brain tumours;

  • Variation between patients of the normal-tissue side effects of radiotherapy.

Research need

Many other sorts of tumour receive popular support and fundraising through the media, but brain tumours have never been given a high profile. Nevertheless, important questions remain to be answered and there is urgent need for more research to improve the management of these tumours. Radiotherapy research in Cambridge is aimed at improving the effectiveness of treatment and reducing side effects, leading to a better outlook for the patient.

 

Key contacts:

  • Consultant Oncologists: Dr NG Burnet, Dr FP Harris, Dr SJ Jefferies and Dr R Jena

  • Specialist Radiotherapy Radiographer: Kate Burton Tel: 01223 216 580;

  • Neuro-Oncology Nurse Practitioner: Lorraine Muffett Tel: 01223 257 049 (answerphone);

  • Neuro-Oncology Team Secretaries: Ann Mitchell and Trudi Walton Tel: 01223 586 705 (hospital extension 6705).

 

Last updated: 29 July, 2008
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