Print Overview Brain metastases Enlarge image Close Brain metastases Brain metastases Brain metastases happen when cancer begins elsewhere in the body and spreads (metastasizes) to the brain. Mayo Clinic Connect: Brain tumor Brain metastases happen when cancer cells spread from their original site to the brain. Any cancer can spread to the brain. But the most common types that spread are lung, breast, colon, kidney and melanoma. Brain metastases may form one or more tumors in the brain. As they grow, they put pressure on surrounding brain tissue. This can cause symptoms such as headache, personality changes, confusion, seizures, vision changes, trouble speaking, numbness, weakness or loss of balance. Treatment for people whose cancer has spread to the brain may include surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy or chemotherapy. Other treatments might be used to decrease pain and symptoms caused by the cancer. SymptomsSymptoms caused by brain metastases can vary. They depend on location, size and how fast they're growing. Symptoms of brain metastases include: Headache, sometimes with vomiting or nausea. Mental changes, such as increasing memory problems. Seizures. Weakness or numbness on one side of the body. Vision changes. Difficulty speaking or understanding language. Loss of balance. When to see a doctorMake an appointment with your healthcare professional if you have persistent signs and symptoms that concern you. If you've been treated for cancer in the past, tell your doctor about your medical history. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest brain tumor advice from Mayo Clinic delivered in your inbox. Sign up for free and receive the latest on brain tumor treatment, diagnosis and surgery. 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Thank you for subscribing You will receive the first brain tumor email in your inbox shortly, which will include information on treatment, diagnosis, surgery and how brain cancer teams at Mayo Clinic approach personalized care. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesBrain metastases occur when cancer cells break away from their original location. The cells may travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system and spread to the brain. Cancer that spreads from its original location is known by the name of the primary cancer. For example, cancer that has spread from the breast to the brain is called metastatic breast cancer, not brain cancer. Risk factorsAny type of cancer can spread to the brain. Some of the types that are more likely to spread include: Lung cancer. Breast cancer. Colon cancer. Kidney cancer. Melanoma. By Mayo Clinic Staff Brain metastases care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Nov. 20, 2024 Print Show references Shih HA. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of brain metastases. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March. 22, 2024. Niederhuber JE, et al., eds. Brain metastases and neoplastic meningitis. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Sept. 23, 2020. Shih HA. Overview of the treatment of brain metastases. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 22, 2024. Metastatic cancer. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/metastatic-cancer. Accessed March 13, 2024. Central nervous system cancers. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx. Accessed March 15, 2024. Ask Mayo Expert. Brain metastases (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2024. Treatments and side effects. American Brain Tumor Association. https://www.abta.org/about-brain-tumors/treatments-side-effects/. Accessed March 19, 2024. Brondfield S, et al. Developing a community for patients with cancer through longer-term art therapy. Oncology Practice. 2020; doi:10.1200/OP.20.00419. Distress management. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=3&id=1431. Accessed Jan. 3, 2024. Coping with cancer. Cancer.Net. https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer. Accessed Jan. 4, 2024. Le Rhun E, et al. Leptomeningeal metastases of solid cancer. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2016; doi:10.1097/WCO.0000000000000393. Rades D, et al. A new scoring tool to assess overall survival in patients with intracerebral metastases from gynecological cancers. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. 2017; doi:10.1097/IGC.0000000000000899. Klos KJ, et al. Brain metastases. The Neurologist. 2004; doi:10.1097/01.nrl.0000106922.83090.71. Heim JB, et al. Myosin-1E interacts with FAK proline-rich region 1 to induce fibronectin-type matrix. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2017; doi:10.1073/pnas.1614894114. O'Neill BP, et al. Brain metastatic lesions. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 1994; doi:10.1016/S0025-6196(12)61374-3. Brown PD, et al. Effect of radiosurgery alone vs. radiosurgery with whole brain radiation therapy on cognitive function in patients with 1 to 3 brain metastases. JAMA. 2016; doi:10.1001/jama.2016.9839. Brown PD, et al. NCCTG N0574 (Alliance): A phase III randomized trial of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in addition to radiosurgery (SRS) in patients with 1 to 3 brain metastases. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2015; doi:10.1200/jco.2015.33.18_suppl.lba4. Rades D, et al. A matched-pair study comparing whole-brain irradiation alone to radiosurgery or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy alone in patients irradiated for up to three brain metastases. BMC Cancer. 2017; doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2989-3. Rades D, et al. Prognostic factors after whole-brain radiotherapy alone for brain metastases from malignant melanoma. Anticancer Research. 2016; doi:10.21873/anticanres.11271. Crozier JA, et al. Breast cancer brain metastases: Molecular subtype, treatment and survival. Breast Disease. 2016; doi:10.3233/BD-160237. Cheville AL, et al. Nested cohort study to identify characteristics that predict near-term disablement from lung cancer brain metastases. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2017; doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2016.08.473. Brain metastasesSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest brain tumor advice from Mayo Clinic delivered in your inbox. Sign up for free and receive the latest on brain tumor treatment, diagnosis and surgery. Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Address 1 Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing You will receive the first brain tumor email in your inbox shortly, which will include information on treatment, diagnosis, surgery and how brain cancer teams at Mayo Clinic approach personalized care. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry