Altough Maryann's second bout of cancer stemmed from the lung, it metastasized to her brain, resulting in three individual tumors. It was more than anyone should bear. Especially in the last 10 days. These tumors grew rapidly, and stole her quality of life. If you or anyone you know are facing this, please read through this page, and the information provided by the organizations providing information here.

The National Cancer Institute's Web site (http://www.cancer.gov) provides accurate, up-to-date information about many types of cancer, information about clinical trials, resources for people dealing with cancer, and information for researchers and health professionals. Most of the information on the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Web site has been written by federal government employees. This material is in the public domain and is not subject to copyright restrictions. Therefore, no special permission is required to use it or reproduce it. However, any reproduced material should contain proper acknowledgement of NCI as the originator and the NCI Web site, www.cancer.gov, as the source. Information in NCI's Physician Data Query (PDQ®) cancer information database, which is made available through the NCI Web site, is also in the public domain.

Primary and Secondary Brain Tumors A tumor that begins in the brain is called a primary brain tumor. In children, most brain tumors are primary tumors. In adults, most tumors in the brain have spread there from the lung, breast, or other parts of the body. When this happens, the disease is not brain cancer. The tumor in the brain is a secondary tumor. It is named for the organ or the tissue in which it began. Treatment for secondary brain tumors depends on where the cancer started and the extent of the disease.

What is metastatic brain cancer? Cancer cells that develop in a body organ such as the lung (primary cancer tissue type) can go to other body organs such as the brain. Tumors formed by such cancer cells that spread (metastasize) to other organs are called metastatic tumors. Metastatic brain cancer is a mass of cells (tumor) that originated in another body organ and has spread into the brain tissue. Metastatic tumors in the brain are more common than primary brain tumors.

Major parts of the brain

Click on ribbon for further information from The National Cancer Institute on Brain Cancer.


Click on ribbon for further information from eMedicine Health on Brain Cancer.