Brain tumors may be benign or malignant and either primary or metastatic. Radiation therapy plays an important role in curing such tumors with advanced types of treatment like IMRT or SRS.
Texas Radiotherapy utilizes TomoHelical treatment delivery, which is an advanced technique of IMRT that produces superior treatment plans and clinical results.
Brain tumors are classified as either primary – originating directly within brain tissue – or metastatic, having spread from cancer elsewhere in the body. Metastatic tumors are far more common than primary ones. Among primary tumors, most arise from glial cells and are known as gliomas, which range from low-grade (slow-growing) to high-grade (aggressive). In addition to gliomas, Dr. Cavey has extensive experience treating other primary tumors and complex conditions, including pituitary tumors, meningiomas, acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas), and recurrent gliomas previously treated with radiation therapy.
Certain rare genetic disorders also raise the risk for developing certain types of brain tumors:
Diagnosis is typically based on imaging studies such as CT scan or most importantly MRI. Biopsy then often follows to determine the cell type of the tumor and the pathologist sometimes orders special tests to yield additional information about the cancer.
Management of gliomas includes maximal safe surgical resection (alone in low grade) followed by radiation therapy and sometimes also oral chemotherapy pills (Temodar) in more aggressive cases. Radiation therapy in such cases is typically between 30-33 daily treatments.
To learn more about brain cancer, please visit https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/brain-spinal-cord-tumors-adults.html
A brain tumor diagnosis—whether a primary brain tumor like glioblastoma or cancer that has metastasized from elsewhere—brings immense urgency and anxiety. Precision is everything when working within the brain. At Texas Radiotherapy, Dr. Matthew Cavey pairs an electrical engineering background with over a decade of leadership in stereotactic radiosurgery (having served as Medical Director of the Fort Worth CyberKnife Center and treated over 2,000 SRS/SBRT cases). This deep technical expertise allows us to target intracranial tumors with sub-millimeter accuracy while aggressively protecting healthy brain tissue, memory, and cognitive function.
Below are five essential questions patients and their families ask when evaluating brain radiation with Dr. Cavey.
Despite the word “surgery,” SRS involves no incisions, no scalpels, and no hospital stay. It is an advanced, non-invasive outpatient radiation procedure that focuses dozens of high-dose, sub-millimeter radiation beams directly onto a tumor. Because the beams converge precisely at the target, the tumor receives a destructive, ablative dose while the surrounding normal brain receives only minimal exposure. For many primary and metastatic brain tumors, SRS delivers tumor control rates comparable to open neurosurgery without surgical risks or long recovery times.
Preserving cognitive function—such as short-term memory, verbal fluency, and executive processing—is as important as treating the tumor itself. By utilizing frameless Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and advanced Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) with real-time image guidance, Dr. Cavey maps radiation margins down to fractions of a millimeter.
When wider-field treatment is necessary, we use hippocampal-avoidance planning to spare the brain’s memory centers, and we proactively integrate neuroprotective medications (such as memantine) to safeguard cognitive longevity.
Whenever clinically appropriate, Dr. Cavey prioritizes focal radiosurgery (SRS) over conventional whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Historically, patients with multiple brain metastases were routinely prescribed weeks of whole-brain radiation. Today, using modern high-resolution MRI fusion and precision planning, Dr. Cavey can target multiple individual tumors in a single session or a short series while sparing the rest of the healthy brain. This targeted approach provides effective local tumor control while avoiding the cognitive fatigue historically linked to older whole-brain protocols.
Brain radiation schedules are designed to be efficient and comfortable:
Treatments are entirely painless. We use custom, breathable mesh masks to keep you comfortably and precisely positioned without invasive, pinned headframes. Most patients drive themselves to and from appointments and resume normal light daily activities immediately.
Effective brain cancer care requires seamless, multidisciplinary communication. Dr. Cavey works hand-in-hand with your neurosurgeon and medical oncologist to ensure radiation is timed strategically—whether radiating the surgical cavity post-resection to prevent recurrence, or sequencing radiation with targeted therapies and immunotherapy.
You’ll have direct access to Dr. Cavey throughout treatment to closely manage acute symptoms like swelling or headaches with tailored steroid protocols, ensuring you never face treatment-related concerns alone.
Consult Directly with Dr. Cavey
When treating tumors in the brain, experience and sub-millimeter precision matter most. Schedule an individualized consultation with Dr. Cavey to review your MRI imaging, evaluate radiosurgery options, and create a targeted plan focused on long-term disease control and cognitive preservation.
Schedule a Brain Tumor Consultation or call our Fort Worth clinic directly at 817-796-6400
