Read about how treatment decisions for brain tumours are made, as well as who will be on your treatment team and how to get a second opinion.
Download the whole brain tumour booklet
Our new booklet 'Understanding brain tumours' is available now.
Download Section Four of our brain tumour booklet: Making treatment decisions
- The treatment choices you are offered will be based on all the
information available about the tumour in your brain and your general health. - The recommended treatment will depend on:
- the type and grade of the brain tumour
- where the tumour is in the brain
- your general health
- your personal wishes
- You will be cared for by a team of health professionals that may include:
- your GP or whānau doctor
- oncology nurses and cancer care coordinators
- a neurologist
- a neurosurgeon
- a medical oncologist
- a radiation oncologist
- Before you visit your treatment team, think about any questions you
would like to have answered. - You can ask another doctor for a second opinion about the tumour in your brain or the treatment.
- Ka hāngai ngā kōwhiringa ka hoatu ki a koe, i runga anō i ngā mōhiohio
katoa e wātea ana mō tōu ake puku roro, me tō hauora whānui - Ka whakawhirinaki te maimoatanga kua taunakitia ki ēnei:
- te momo puku roro, me te māhiti o te puku roro
- te wāhi e noho ana te puku i roto i te roro
- tō oranga whānui
- ōu ake hiahia
- Ka tiakina koe e tētahi rōpū ngaio ā-hauora, tērā pea kai roto ko ēnei
tāngata:- tō GP, tō rata ā-whānau rānei
- ngā tapuhi mātai matepukupuku me ngā kairuruku atawhai
matepukupuku - tētahi mātai matepukupuku
- tētahi mātanga io tōpū)
- tētahi mātanga mātai matepukupuku ā-hauora
- tētahi mātanga mātai matepukupuku ā-iraruke
- I mua i tō haere ki te tirotiro i tō rōpū maimoatanga, ata whakaarohia
ētahi pātai tērā pea ka hiahia koe kia whakautua. - E āhei ana koe ki te tono i tētahi atu rata mō tētahi whakaaro tuarua e
pā ana ki tō puku roro, te maimoatanga rānei.
How treatment decisions are made
The treatment choices you are offered will be based on all the information available about the tumour in your brain and your general health.
Recommendations will depend on:
- the type and grade of the brain tumour
- where the tumour is in the brain
- your general health
- your personal wishes and goals of care
Your treatment team
From the time you are diagnosed with a brain tumour, you will be cared for by a team of health professionals, who may include:
- your GP or whānau doctor
- oncology nurses and cancer care coordinators
- a neurologist
- a neurosurgeon
- a medical oncologist
- a radiation oncologist
Other members of your treatment team
Your treatment team may include other health care professionals, such as a social worker, psychologist, dietitian, physiotherapist, practice nurse, community health nurse, pharmacist, occupational therapist, and palliative-care specialist.
Talking to your treatment team
Asking the right questions
When you first learn you have a brain tumour, you may have many questions.
We suggest you think about the questions you would like your cancer treatment team to answer and how much detail you are comfortable with. It can be helpful to have a support person present.
Asking for a second opinion
You may want to ask another doctor about the tumour in your brain or treatment to help you feel more confident about your treatment decision. You can ask your treatment team or GP or whānau doctor to refer you to another doctor to get a second opinion.
Your rights
Your rights as a health and disability service consumer are protected by the Health and Disability Commission’s Code of Rights. You also have the right to have an interpreter present during all medical consultations.Read about the Health and Disability Commission's Code of Rights
Talking to others and coping with waiting
You may want to discuss your treatment options with your whānau and friends, specialist nurses, your GP or whānau doctor, the Cancer Society, or a hospital social worker or spiritual advisor.
If you are finding the waiting difficult for receiving your diagnosis and starting treatment, contact your GP or cancer nurse coordinator.
Taking part in a clinical trial
There are many new and emerging treatments for cancer. Clinical trials are a vital part of the search to find better cancer treatments.
- Clinical trials test new and modified treatments to see if they are better than existing treatments.
- In randomised clinical trials, you will receive either the standard treatment currently available or the new treatment being tested.
- Not all treatments tested in trials turn out to be helpful.
- Make sure you fully understand the reasons for the trial and what it means for you – it is your decision if you take part.