When may surgery be done?

Surgery may be done to:

• Try to remove all of the tumor, if possible

• Help relieve or prevent symptoms

• Take out a small piece of the tumor (biopsy) to find out what kind of tumor it is

Types of surgery

There are many types of brain tumor surgery. The type of surgery done depends on:

• What type of tumor it appears to be, based on imaging tests like MRI

• The size and location of the tumor

• Whether the tumor is causing pressure on vital parts of the brain

• Whether the neurosurgeon thinks the tumor can be removed fully   

Your age, overall health, and preferences are also factored into the treatment choice.

In most cases, the neurosurgeon will need to remove a small piece of the skull (bone flap) to get to the brain tumor. This surgery is called a craniotomy. Before removing the bone flap, the neurosurgeon will use a computer system to find the tumor. At the end of the surgery, the bone flap will be replaced and held in place with small titanium plates and screws.

You may be asleep through most of the surgery. You may need to be awake for part of the surgery if the surgeon needs to check the function of a part of the brain.

Brain tumors can be removed through surgery in several ways, such as:

• The surgeon may use special instruments to detach the tumor.

• If the tumor is very soft, the surgeon might use a vacuum device to remove it.

• A special tool can be used to liquefy the tumor, after which it can be vacuumed out. 

• A laser may be used to kill cancer cells if a tumor is hard to reach with regular surgery.

The neurosurgeon will try to take out the whole tumor if possible. If the surgeon can’t remove all of the tumor without harming the brain, he or she will take out as much as possible. This is called debulking surgery. Reducing the size of a tumor through surgery can help lower the pressure on the brain and relieve some symptoms.