Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. - Patients with new onset of symptoms and new findings on imaging of a suspected brain tumour should be referred to the local emergency department for urgent control of symptoms and evaluation - Patients without symptoms and finding of suspected brain tumours should be referred to the Neurosurgical team for evaluation and further investigation. Patients are usually then presented in a multi-disciplinary meeting for treatment planning and further referral if required for Medical Oncology input. In some cases, new findings of brain tumours may represent metastatic disease from an alternative primary site and urgent evaluation with imaging of the chest, abdomen and pelvis may be also indicated [https://www.health.qld.gov.au/cpc/neurosurgery/brain-tumours-intracerebral-meningioma-skull] - Monitor neurological function; rapid progress or symptoms such as headache suspicious for raised intracranial pressure i.e. morning headache, vomiting and papilledema and/or associated neurological features i.e. new onset seizures, cognitive, behavioural or personality changes, neurological deficits warrant urgent referral to the Emergency Department - Pituitary tumours should be referred concurrently to the Neurosurgical and Endocrinology teams - Acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma should be referred concurrently to the Neurosurgical and Ear, Nose and Throat / Otology teams - Adjuvant treatment after surgery for primary brain tumour diagnosis (either biopsy or debulking surgery). Note in this instance usually the patient is referred after MDT by the Neurosurgeon - Patients with prior treatment for primary brain tumours under a Medical Oncologist with change in symptoms / progression of symptoms for evaluation of recurrence or progression