Gurgaon doctors remove 56 brain tumours from one patient in a single session

Gurgaon: Doctors at a private hospital in the city successfully removed 56 brain tumours in a single session using gamma knife radiosurgery — marking what is believed to be the highest number of such overgrowths in one patient in the country.
A 40-year-old IT professional — diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer that had metastasised to her brain — underwent the non-invasive six-hour procedure at Fortis Memorial Research Institute earlier this month. Doctors said the patient was admitted in a critical condition, and subsequent PET scan and MRI reports revealed an unprecedented number of brain lesions, presenting a "unique" challenge for the medical team.
Dr Sandeep Vaishya, director of neurosurgery at Fortis, explained the complexity of the procedure.
"Brain metastasis occurs when cancer cells from other parts of the body spread to the brain, often leading to multiple tumours and symptoms such as headaches, seizures, and cognitive decline. In this case, the patient had 56 brain lesions — an extremely rare and complex scenario. We decided to go for a gamma knife radiosurgery, which targets and treats tumours with precision without requiring surgical incisions," Dr Vaishya said.
The advanced procedure involved beams of gamma radiation to precisely target both benign and malignant brain tumours while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The amount of precision made it particularly effective for treating sensitive areas of the brain and significantly reduced recovery time after the surgery.
"A major advantage of gamma knife is its ability to treat multiple brain lesions in a single session, which is not possible with many other treatment modalities. It also minimises radiation exposure to healthy brain structures, preserving vital neurological functions such as motor skills, sensory perception, and cognition," Dr Vaishya said.
Doctors described the success of the procedure as a "significant milestone" in neurosurgery, pointing out that the IT staffer was discharged within 24 hours of the operation. "When I got my test results, I did not imagine that things would be this smooth. It is remarkable that doctors could remove as many as 56 tumours in just one session," the patient said.
The gamma knife machine used in the procedure — believed to be one of only five in India — was installed at Fortis Hospital last June. The technology, first invented in the 1950s by Swedish neurosurgeon Professor Lars Leksell at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, has revolutionised treatment of brain tumour, offering hope to patients with complex neurological conditions.