Treatment
A team of doctors and other professionals discuss the best treatment and care for you. They are called a multidisciplinary team (MDT).
The MDT includes:
a neurosurgeon - a specialist doctor who diagnoses, treats and performs surgery on conditions affecting the (CNS)
medical cancer specialist (medical oncologist) who specialises in cancer drugs
a cancer specialist in radiotherapy (clinical oncologist)
a neurologist - a specialist doctor who treats illnesses affecting the brain and spinal cord
a radiologist – a doctor specialising in reporting x-rays and scans
a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) - a nurse who offers support and advice, before, during and after treatment
a pathologist - a doctor who specialises in looking at cells under the microscope
a physiotherapist to help you with your mobility
a speech and language therapist – they help if you have problems with your speech. Or help if you find it hard to understand written information or what people say
an occupational therapist – they help with everyday activities such as dressing, reading and activities to stimulate the brain. They can also help you get equipment to help with daily tasks
The treatment you have depends on:
your type of brain tumour
where the tumour is
whether it has spread
how abnormal the cells look under a microscope (the grade)
whether the tumour cells have certain changes or mutations
your general health and level of fitness
Your doctor will discuss your treatment, its benefits and the possible side effects with you.
Some hospitals have specialist brain tumour nurses. They go to the MDT meetings. You usually see the nurses more regularly than your surgeon or cancer specialist. They can answer your questions and support you and your family.
Read about grades of brain tumours
Your doctor might do tests on your tumour cells. This is to look for changes in the . These tests help doctors find out which type of brain tumour you have, and which treatment you need. They are sometimes called biomarker tests or molecular tests. They include checking for biomarkers such as:
IDH1 and IDH2
1p/19q
MGMT
TERT
There are many different biomarkers. Doctors are continuing to discover new ones. Your doctor can tell you more about them and whether these tests are helpful in your situation.
Read more about biomarkers on our page about the different types of brain tumours
Brain tumour treatments can include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Surgery is not always possible. For example, you might not have surgery if your tumour is close to an important part of your brain. If you cannot have surgery, your doctor will tell you about your other treatment options.
Below, we explain the main types of treatment for brain tumours.
Surgery is the main treatment for most brain tumours. You might have surgery to:
remove the tumour
remove part of the tumour (this is called subtotal resection or debulking)
take a
drain a build up of fluid on the brain (hydrocephalus)
Our skull is made of bone, so there is a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up. If there is a growing tumour, it takes up space and increases the pressure inside your head. The increased pressure causes some of the symptoms of brain tumours.
Even if your surgeon doesn't think they can completely remove the brain tumour, they may decide to remove as much as possible. This may help slow the progression of the tumour and relieve your symptoms.
You may not need surgery straight away if you have a very slow growing tumour (low grade) that isn't causing symptoms. Your doctor will monitor you with regular scans.
Find out about surgery for brain tumours
Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays to destroy tumour cells. You might have radiotherapy on its own, or after surgery. You might have radiotherapy to:
the tumour
the whole brain
the spinal cord
You usually have a type of radiotherapy called external beam radiotherapy. For a small brain tumour, you may have or . It targets high doses of radiation to a small area.
Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy tumour cells. You might have it:
after surgery to lower the chances of the tumour coming back
with radiotherapy if you cannot have surgery
if your brain tumour comes back
You usually have chemotherapy on its own or with radiotherapy.
You might have some chemotherapy drugs into the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This is called intrathecal chemotherapy. Your doctor gives you the drug during a procedure called a lumbar puncture. You might have this if you have primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). The drug mixes with the and circulates through the brain.
Most people with a brain tumour need steroids at some point. Steroids do not treat the tumour. But they help reduce swelling in the brain.
Swelling can raise the pressure inside the skull. This is called intracranial pressure (ICP). This can cause symptoms such as headaches and feeling sick.
You may have steroids before, during or after treatment, such as surgery. Treatment for brain tumours can also cause swelling in the brain. Steroids help reduce the swelling and can also help control symptoms and side effects.
Find out more about steroids, how you take them, and the side effects
Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences that help a cancer cell to survive and grow. Immunotherapy uses our immune system to fight cancer. It works by helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells.
Doctors may use a targeted cancer drug if a tumour has specific gene changes (mutation). For example, vorasidenib may be used to treat some people with grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma that have an IDH gene change.
Most targeted treatments for brain tumours are only available as part of a clinical trial. For example avutometinib and defactinib for glioblastoma.
Read about vorasidenib, how you have it, and the side effects
Some small, low grade brain tumours do not need treatment straight away. They often grow slowly and may not cause symptoms.
For these tumours, your doctor might recommend regular MRI scans to monitor the tumour. This is also called active surveillance or watch and wait.
It can be difficult to hear that you have a brain tumour but not have treatment. You might feel worried that you aren't doing anything to stop the tumour getting worse. Waiting for test results and check ups can also be difficult.
It’s natural to feel worried between appointments. If you notice any new symptoms, or if your symptoms change, contact your doctor or specialist nurse. They can talk through any concerns and explain what happens next. Monitoring may continue. If there are signs that the tumour is growing or causing problems, your doctors will discuss treatment options with you.
Read more about active monitoring (watch and wait)
Your doctor might ask if you’d like to take part in a clinical trial. Doctors and researchers do trials to make existing treatments better and develop new treatments.
Read about research and clinical trials for brain tumours
Treatment decisions can be complicated and confusing. You can ask for a second opinion if you would like to get another doctor's view about your treatment. This means going to see another specialist. They will need to see all your test results and x-rays.
Having a second opinion doesn't usually mean that the new doctor takes over your treatment and care. They discuss with you and your current doctor which is the best treatment approach to take.
If you want to get a second opinion, your doctor will usually be happy to arrange it for you. It can take time to arrange though and it might mean that your treatment is delayed for a while.
It is worth discussing your treatment again with your current specialist first. Once you have heard why they are suggesting particular treatments for you, you might feel that you don't need a second opinion.
It is always a good idea to jot down a few questions before you go to the hospital for an appointment with your specialist. It can be difficult to remember everything you want to ask once you get there. Writing down your questions beforehand can help you to feel more confident during the discussion.
Treatment depends a lot on the type of brain or spinal cord tumour you have. We have information about treatment for the most common types of brain tumours.
For more information about treatment for brain tumours, choose the type from the menu at the link below.
Last reviewed: 13 Aug 2026
Next review due: 13 Aug 2029
You usually start by seeing your GP who might refer you to a specialist. Or you might go to Accident and Emergency (A&E) if you suddenly have severe symptoms.
There are many different types of brain tumours. They are usually named after the type of cell they develop from.
Treatment for a brain or spinal cord tumour depends on the type of tumour you have, where it is and your general health.
It can be difficult to find out that you have a brain tumour. There is practical and emotional support available to help you, your family and your friends cope with a brain or spinal cord tumour.
Primary brain tumours are cancers that start in the brain. Tumours can start in any part of the brain or related structures.
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