New Therapy Offers Hope For Brain Tumour Patients
World Brain Tumour Day highlights breakthrough non-invasive therapies
Hyderabad: A brain tumour diagnosis often triggers fear — not just from the disease but from the invasive treatments that follow. Surgery, radiation, long hospital stays and uncertain outcomes overwhelm patients and families. But this World Brain Tumour Day on Sunday brings new hope, as doctors highlight emerging non-invasive therapies that could transform care.
Advances in medical technology are introducing targeted, non-surgical treatments that promise better outcomes with fewer side effects and faster recovery.
One such breakthrough is Focused Ultrasound Therapy. “It uses sound energy, like a magnifying glass focusing sunlight, to destroy tumours deep in the brain—without cutting the skin,” said Dr Manas Kumar Panigrahi, a senior neurosurgeon. The technique focuses ultrasound waves precisely on the tumour, generating heat that destroys it while sparing healthy tissue.
Importantly, focused ultrasound can temporarily open the blood-brain barrier—a natural defence that blocks many chemotherapy drugs. This allows more effective drug delivery to tumours with fewer side effects. Another promising innovation, Tumour Treating Fields (TTF), delivers low-intensity, alternating electrical fields to the tumour site. “These pulses disrupt cancer cell division and slow tumour growth,” Dr Panigrahi explained. Both therapies are non-invasive, repeatable and in clinical trials, though not yet approved for regular use.
Among existing options, the Gamma Knife offers a proven, non-surgical alternative. It delivers up to 192 focused beams of gamma radiation with millimetre precision, guided by MRI or CT scans. The outpatient procedure is painless, requires no incision or general anaesthesia and typically takes a few hours. Over 90 per cent of patients resume normal activities within 48 hours.“Gamma Knife has been effective for over 20 brain conditions, including malignant and benign tumours, AVMs and trigeminal neuralgia,” Dr Panigrahi said.
Dr V. Naveen Reddy, a consultant neurosurgeon, noted India’s rising cancer burden. “In 2022, India saw over 14.6 lakh new cases, projected to rise by 12.8 per cent by 2025. Brain and central nervous system tumours are part of this trend, with gliomas and meningiomas most common,” he said.
Dr Arun Reddy, a senior neurosurgeon, said that while the causes of brain tumours remain under study, risks increase with childhood radiation exposure, high-radiation work environments and family history. “In conditions like brain tumours, outcomes often depend on awareness and timely action,” he said. “In emergencies, even small delays can be fatal. But with today’s technology, patients have real options—less fear, less pain and more hope,” Dr Reddy added.
