You are here:

Brain Tumors/Brain Tumor

Advertisement

Expert: - 11/21/2008


Question
Is a Brain Tumor always diagnosed as cancer? I came across one of your answers that caught me ~ You said that it is not common to have a Brain Tumor spread cancer through out the body, that most likely it is somewhere else in the body and that would spread. If you are diagnosed with a brain tumor, you most likely have cancer somewhere else?

Answer
A malignant primary brain tumor (originating in the brain) behaves in most ways like a cancer but only very rarely spreads outside the central nervous system. Why that is so is not known. On the other hand a cancer starting anywhere else in the body may indeed spread to the brain. That is why I wrote as I did. Depends on what type of brain tumor you are diagnosed with. If it IS a primary brain tumor it started in the brain not anywhere else and it is most probably only in the brain. But if there is reason to believe it started somewhere else there is probably a cancer somewhere else. And it may indeed have spread to many places. I do hope I have been able to explain it!  

Brain Tumors

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D.

Expertise

I`m a doctor of medicine and specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have a long time experience of these tumours.

Experience

I'm a Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy, educated and trained in Sweden. Now retired. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps. You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128 . I have no restrictions on the number of questions there. I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer), General History, Military History, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer.

Education/Credentials
Doctor of medicine, specialist in medical oncology & radiation therapy.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.