Neuro-Oncology

Our Neuro-Oncology Program is committed to providing our patients with the latest diagnostic studies and treatment options for brain tumors and neurological issues related to cancer. Our participation in nationally-led clinical research promotes the advanced treatment options for our patients battling central nervous system tumors. With the multidisciplinary approach taken by our team, we create a comprehensive treatment plan unique to each of our patients. 

Tumors We Treat 

Our program provides treatment for patients with the following tumors: 

• Gliomas 
• Meningioma 
• Vestibular schwannoma 
• Central nervous system lymphoma 
• Metastatic Brain and Spine Tumors 
• Spinal cord tumors 

Treatment Options 

• Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery 
  This surgical approach is designed to safely move through the natural structure of the brain to access and remove deep seated brain abnormalities such as tumors and hemorrhages. With advancements in technology, this approach has reduced some of the risks of subcortical brain tumor removal 
• Gamma Knife 
  Gamma Knife is a precise and powerful therapy proven to treat brain disorders. This procedure can be found at Good Samaritan Medical Center, and it is a highly developed treatment for brain tumors, skull base tumors, and other brain disorders. 
  
  Gamma Knife therapy does not involve surgery. Instead, it focuses 201 precise beams of radiation directly on the tumor. Individually, the beams are too weak to damage healthy tissue. Together, they converge to deliver powerful treatment to a single point.
  
  To establish the target for the radiation, physicians create detailed maps of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or angiography. They then determine the precise amount of radiation needed to treat the cancer
  
  There are many advantages to Gamma Knife therapy:
  • Precision: The customized dose of radiation targets only the diseased tissue, leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact.
  • Safety: Patients generally require only local anesthesia and mild sedation; there are no incisions and reduced risk of infection, and other possible complications that come with cutting into the skull and exposing the brain.
  • Effectiveness: It offers new hope to patients with deep-seated brain lesions or skull base tumors once considered inoperable; usually only one treatment is required.
  • Technologically Advanced: The Gamma Knife® is robotically controlled and designed to allow surgeons to deliver precise radiation, safely and faster.
• Proton Therapy

What Can Be Treated 

The Gamma Knife has been an advanced way to treat brain tumors, abnormal blood vessels, and neurological disorders for over 30 years. 

The most common conditions treated include: 

• Metastatic brain tumors – tumors that spread to the brain from cancers in other sites of the body (e.g. breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, etc.) 
• Primary brain tumors – including cancerous tumors (gliomas) and benign tumors (meningiomas and acoustic schwannomas) 
• Trigeminal neuralgia – a condition of severe facial pain