The patient then returns to the treatment area, is positioned on the treatment table and receives the treatment. In our institution, almost all brain tumor treatments are fractionated. Thus, the frame is attached to a rigid plastic mask that precisely contours the facial skeletal features. The patient feels nothing as the beam treats the brain tumor. Usually there are none of the side effects usually associated with radiotherapy such as nausea, red skin or hair loss.
Most patients carry on their normal daily activities before and after the daily treatment.
The brain tumor and the normal tissues respond differently to high single doses vs. multiple smaller doses of radiation. Single large doses can kill more normal tissue than several smaller doses. Multiple smaller doses can kill more tumor cells while sparing the normal tissues. Radiosurgery can successfully treat many different brain tumors, both benign and malignant. The malignant gliomas have been treated with radiosurgery at the time of recurrence.