What Are Brain Metastases?
Brain metastases are cancers that originally developed in other parts of the body but have spread to the brain. They are usually called secondary cancers, as they originated outside the brain, in areas such as the lungs, kidneys, or colon. The original source of cancer which caused the spread to other sites is often called the primary cancer. Primary cancers that have high incidence of spreading to the brain include breast cancer and lung cancer. Others cancers that can cause brain metastases less frequently are those arising from the colon, testicles, ovary, and kidneys. Melanoma, which is a cancer caused by melanin-producing cells such as the skin, has also been implicated to cause cancer brain metastases in some cases.
