Brain Cancer
Treatment in Malaysia

At Onco Life Centre, our team takes a personalized approach to Brain Cancer treatment in Malaysia. We focus not only on treating the disease, but also on supporting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our patients every step of the way.

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Understanding the Brain’s Key Functions

The brain is made up of 3 main parts:

Cerebrum is divided into 4 lobes with specific functions:
- Frontal lobe controls reasoning, emotions, problem solving, speech and movement.
- Parietal lobe controls the sensations of touch, speech, visual-spatial orientation and calculation.
- Temporal lobe controls memory, hearing, and the ability to understand spoken or written words.
- Occipital lobe controls vision.
Cerebellum is located at the back part of the brain and is responsible for coordination and balance.
Brain stem controls involuntary functions like the heart beat and breathing. Messages from the cerebrum and cerebellum travel through the brain stem to the body.

Why Choose Onco Life Centre?

Expertise You Can Trust, Innovation You Can Count On

Over 20 Years of
Experience

Our highly-qualified consultant oncologists boast extensive experience treating a vast array of cancers. Their training at prestigious institutions in Australia and the UK ensures exceptional expertise that you can trust.

Collaboration with
Leading Genomics Experts

For complex cases, our oncologists collaborate with leading genomics specialists in the US. This ensures access to the latest treatments for all cancer types.

Unmatched
patient experience

You and your healthcare experience are at the centre of what we do at Onco Life Centre. Our core values of Empathy, Dedication, Professionalism and Service Quality have driven us since our earliest days.

Brain Cancer Treatment Methods

Targeted therapy for brain cancer

In addition to standard chemotherapy, targeted therapy targets the tumor’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to a tumor’s growth and survival.

To find the most effective treatment, our brain cancer specialist will run tumor profiling tests to identify the genes and proteins in your tumor.

For a brain cancer, there are 2 types of targeted therapy that may be used:

Anti-angiogenesis therapy is used to treat glioblastoma multiforme, newly diagnosed brain cancer with IDH mutation or when previous treatment has not worked. Anti-angiogenesis therapy is focused on stopping angiogenesis, which is the process of making new blood vessels. Because a tumor needs the nutrients delivered by blood vessels to grow and spread, the goal of anti-angiogenesis therapy is to “starve” the tumor.
NTRK inhibitor focuses on a specific genetic change called an NTRK fusion. These drugs are approved to treat metastatic brain cancer or some brain tumors that cannot be removed with surgery and have worsened with other treatments.

A variety of other targeted therapies are being studied in brain cancer that contain other specific molecular changes, such as IDH mutations, BRAF mutations, and FGFR fusions.

Please click here to learn more about Targeted Therapy.

Surgery for brain cancer

Surgery is the removal of the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue during an operation. It is often the only treatment needed for a low-grade brain tumor. Removing the tumor can improve neurological symptoms; provide tissue for diagnosis and genetic analysis.

Radiation therapy for brain cancer

External-beam radiation therapy can be directed at a brain tumor in the following ways:

Conventional radiation therapy.

3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT).

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). IMRT is a type of 3D-CRT (see above) that can more directly target a tumor. It can deliver higher doses of radiation to the tumor while giving less to the surrounding healthy tissue.

Proton therapy. Proton therapy is a type of external-beam radiation therapy that uses protons rather than x-rays.
Stereotactic radiosurgery. Stereotactic radiosurgery is the use of a single, high dose of radiation given directly to the tumor and not healthy tissue. It works best for a tumor that is only in 1 area of the brain and certain noncancerous tumors. It can also be used when a person has more than 1 metastatic brain tumor.

Immunotherapy for brain cancer

Immunotherapy for brain cancer utilises an individual’s own immune system to help kill off the cancer cells. There are currently several FDA-approved immunotherapy options for brain cancer. Immunotherapy is now a promising option in treating brain cancer.

Please click here to learn more about Immunotherapy.

Treatment By Brain Tumor Type

Guiding Your Personalized Treatment Journey

Oligodendroglioma

For people with grade II or III oligodendroglioma with a 1p/19q co-deletion and an IDH genetic mutation, ASCO recommends radiation therapy in combination with the chemotherapy drugs, which together are called PCV.

Astrocytoma

ASCO recommends that people with grade II astrocytoma with an IDH genetic mutation and no 1p/19q co-deletion be offered radiation therapy followed by chemotherapy with either oral chemotherapy or PCV. People with grade III astrocytoma with an IDH genetic mutation and no 1p/19q co-deletion should be offered radiation therapy followed by oral chemotherapy or both of these treatments given at the same time. Likewise, people with grade IV astrocytoma with an IDH genetic mutation may be offered radiation therapy followed by oral chemotherapy or both of these treatments given at the same time. Some astrocytomas without an IDH mutation may be treated the same way as grade 4 glioblastoma that also does not have an IDH mutation.

Glioblastoma

For most people with newly diagnosed grade IV glioblastoma or a grade II or III astrocytoma and no IDH genetic mutation, ASCO recommends treatment with radiation therapy and oral chemotherapy given at the same time. After this treatment, 6 months of oral chemotherapy is recommended.

Transparency You Can Trust

At Onco Life Centre, we understand the financial burden associated with Brain Cancer treatment. We are committed to transparency and will provide you with a personalized cost estimate during your initial consultation. Here is an estimate:

Chemotherapy

the cost for treating brain cancer using chemotherapy for most of our patients is around MYR500 to MYR1,000 per cycle

Targeted Therapy

The cost of brain cancer targeted therapy is from MYR4,000.

Immunotherapy

Average cost of immunotherapy can range from MYR10,000 depending on the specific type and dosage of immunotherapy drug used.

Primary brain tumors

Primary brain cancer that starts in the brain is often described as low or high grade. A higher grade is usually more aggressive and more likely to grow quickly. Primary brain tumors are divided into glioma and non-glioma tumor types.

Gliomas arise from brain glial cells and can be categorized as astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, or ependymoma. Non-glioma tumors arise from non-glial cells and can be categorised as meningioma, pineal and pituitary gland tumours, primary CNS lymphomas, medulloblastoma, craniopharyngioma and schwannoma.

Secondary brain tumors

Secondary brain cancer or brain metastases are more common than primary tumors. Secondary brain cancers originate from another part of the body such as the breast, lung, kidney, colon, skin and spreads to the brain.

If cancer spreads to the meninges and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), it is called leptomeningeal metastases.

Symptoms

Headaches
Seizures
Personality or memory changes
Nausea or vomiting
Drowsiness
Changes in ability to perform daily activities
Loss of balance and difficulty with fine motor skills
Changes in judgment, speech, comprehension, hearing and emotional state
Partial or complete loss of vision, altered sensation and power on one side of body
Difficulty swallowing, facial weakness or numbness

How Brain Cancer Is Diagnosed

Imaging tests can determine if the tumor is a primary or secondary brain tumor.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): The MRI may be of the brain and/or spinal cord, depending on the likelihood that it will spread in the CNS.

Tissue sampling/biopsy of tumor: A sample of the tumor’s tissue is usually needed to make a final and definitive diagnosis.

CT scan: A CT scan identifies bleeding and enlargement of the fluid-filled spaces in the brain, called ventricles. Changes to bone in the skull as well as tumor size can also be seen on a CT scan.

Positron emission tomography (PET): A PET scan is used at first to find out more about a tumor while a patient is receiving treatment. It may also be used if the tumor comes back after treatment.

Biomarker testing of the tumor: This may also be called molecular testing of the tumor. Results of these tests will determine your treatment options.

– For oligodendroglioma, a 1p/19q co-deletion is linked to more successful treatment, particularly with chemotherapy.

– Mutation in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene, is found in about 70% to 80% of low-grade gliomas and is linked with a better prognosis in both low-grade and high-grade tumors.

– In glioblastoma, mutation in methyl guanine methyl transferase (MGMT) gene is linked to prognosis and how well treatment will work.

Start Your Recovery

Our dedicated Patient Navigator will assist you with appointment scheduling. Contact us at +6012-3993260 (Call or Whatsapp ).

First Consultation

On appointment day, bring along all the medical reports and your identity documents, ie. identity card or passport. Our team will help you organize the medical reports for our oncologist to review. Our oncologist will discuss the treatment plan with you. Tele-consult is available for overseas patients.

Treatment Day

Come to our center on an agreed date and time for the treatment. Our team will take good care of you. You will be discharged on the same day. Yes, you will get to go home after every treatment visit as no overnight admission is required.

Stay on Track

Our dedicated patient navigator will be following up with you post treatment to check on your condition, to ensure that you are doing well. You will receive a reminder message on your phone for the next appointment date.