TUMOR SURGERY

Coming to the realization that you or a loved one has cancer can be terrifying and overwhelming. It is reassuring to know that more than half of patients diagnosed with cancer will be cured, but importantly the choices made right at the start can be critical to the patient’s outcome. Indeed the initial set of tests as well as the first treatment (which is often surgery) may determine whether the cancer therapy is ultimately successful. In most cases, decisions do not need to be made within a day or two of diagnosis, and hence the outcome will not be affected by taking time to determine the best course of action.

You should therefore select a neurosurgeon that has expertise and experience in your specific type of cancer. Formal training, depth of experience, and board certification are some indicators of expertise. In addition, a neurosurgeon who has supplemental formal training in neuro-oncology will be particularly knowledgeable about all your options for care, not just the operation.

At SDNSI the neurosurgeons possess such supplemental qualifications. Not only have they participated in NIH sponsored brain tumor research fellowship training at both the Brain Tumor Research Center (UCSF) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (La Jolla); they have also gained unique technical expertise in tumor surgery. In particular our surgeons’ spinal fellowship training allows them to tackle the most complex tumors of the spinal cord and spinal column. Other unique capacities include the use of functional mapping and image-guided neuronavigation for treatment of tumors in eloquent areas of the brain. Finally, both our neurosurgeons are specially certified and have extensive experience using the Gamma Knife for treatment of selected brain tumors.

As an additional indication of our dedication to treating central nervous system tumors, it should be emphasized that SDNSI has a dedicated staff member coordinating our active participation in cutting edge research trials. We also maintain an active collaboration with the National Brain Tumor Foundation, and have participated in their local fundraising events.

Tumors of the brain we treat include gliobastoma, lower grade astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma, meningioma, metastatic tumor, pituitary tumor, skull base tumors of a variety of subtypes including acoustic neuroma, and intraventricular tumors.

Tumors of the spinal cord/column we treat include metastatic tumor, chordoma, sarcoma, multiple myeloma, neurofibroma, ependymoma, and astrocytoma.

Helpful outside articles and information:

NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION (Support for brain tumor patients and families)

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE: ADULT BRAIN TUMOR (information for brain tumor patients)

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