Brain Cancer: Recent Advances in Treatment

The brain is the most complex and highly developed organ in the body. Brain tumours are rare, but are a common worry in patients with headache, memory problems, seizures and other symptoms. When surgery for a brain tumour is contemplated, it is important to know where key areas of brain function are situated. New surgical techniques assist the brain surgeon in deciding how surgery might help remove a tumour safely and as completely as possible.

Professor Ian Whittle (Professor of Neurosurgery) will describe some of the techniques he uses in Edinburgh to operate safely in eloquent areas, including the use of awake-neurosurgery, neuro-navigation and use of 3D intra-operative ultrasound.

Some tumours in or around the brain will require further treatment with radiotherapy. Scientific advances in targeting radiotherapy are now available in Edinburgh. Dr Sara Erridge (Consultant Oncologist), talks about the new Novalis machine and how it will improve accuracy and make it possible to treat certain types of brain tumours in just a single session destroying tumour cells and avoiding surrounding healthy tissue.

Join us for this public talk with speakers Dr Robin Grant (Lead Clinician of the Edinburgh Centre for Neuro-Oncology), who will set the scene of how common brain tumours are, the various types and how they present. Prof Ian Whittle and Dr Sara Erridge, internationally recognised specialists in Neuro-Oncology, who will describe the new technologies available or soon to be available in Edinburgh to improve the safety and effectiveness of treatment.

Text supplied by third party.