Going Under the Gamma Knife on Yahoo! Health

I was recently asked if gamma knife surgery - in this case, to be used against a non-cancerous tumor called a meningioma - has the same kinds of side effects, such as fatigue, as typical radiation chemotherapy.

Gamma knife surgery involves no incisions or scalpels. The "knife" in question is, in fact, beams of radiation which doctors can aim with great precision to destroy brain tumors.

These procedures have been around for almost 30 years and are widely used for both benign and malignant tumors. They're as unlike conventional radiation therapy as they are unlike conventional surgery: here, the radiation doses are so low that the side effects associated with radiation therapy don't occur. And you go under the "knife" only once. No repeated or frequent treatments are needed.

Meningiomas are tumors that develop from the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Most are benign and slow growing but can compress the brain as they expand, leading to symptoms as subtle as memory loss and balance problems or as dramatic as headaches, seizures, loss of motor function, and blindness.

In 90 to 95 percent of all gamma knife procedures, the treated tumors stop growing, and in the majority of all cases, actually shrink. The radiation damages tumor cell DNA, causing cells to die when they try to divide. This takes time. Although only one procedure is required, often on an outpatient basis, patients need imaging studies in the following months to observe the long-term effects.

Without incisions or anesthesia, the gamma knife procedure does not expose you to many of the risks of conventional surgery. However, it can cause swelling of tissue surrounding the tumor, a side effect that usually is temporary but may require medication (steroids).

To boost the immune system prior to treatment, I suggest consulting a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine for an herbal formula called "radio support" for patients undergoing radiation therapy.

A patient can also take astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous), the root of a plant native to China; I suggest looking for astragalus products standardized to 16 percent polysaccharides and take two capsules or tablets twice a day unless the product directs otherwise.

I also recommend Asian mushrooms; specifically, a combination product containing extracts of a number of active species, such as the Weil Immune Support Formula or Host Defense from New Chapter, Inc. Mind/body techniques including guided imagery, breath work, meditation, yoga and biofeedback can also help.

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