Gamma Knife is used to treat selective gliomas

According to the Society for Neuroscience, most brain tumors develop from cancerous glial cells and are called gliomas. Unlike other cancers, glioma tumors grow in the confined space inside the head. In order to grow, most cancers push healthy cells aside, but due to space constraints, glioma tumors must destroy normal brain cells. To kill healthy nerve cells, glioma tumors release large quantities of the neurotransmitter glutamate. Excess glutamate is toxic to neurons and causes seizures in up to 80 percent of people with gliomas. Depending on the tumor's size and location, other symptoms include paralysis, behavior changes and dizziness.

For more information on Gliomas, visit the Society for Neuroscience web site.