Brain Tumor Treatment

The Western New York Neuro-oncology Center (NOC), a Center of Excellence in Neuro-oncology, provides clinical neurological services to patients with benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spine. Click an option for more information or continue reading.

The NOC combines the expertise of medical and surgical physician specialists from Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and the Dent Neurologic Institute to provide patients with a full spectrum of clinical neurological services with the goal of maintaining and enhancing each patient's quality of life. The NOC team consists of neurosurgeons, medical neuro-oncologists and radiation oncologists. These physicians are aided by nurse practitioners, medical physicists, neuro-radiologists, physical therapists and neuro-psychologists to provide comprehensive care using state-of-the-art technology.

The multidisciplinary team approach is best suited for patients with complex medical problems such as brain tumors. It enables professionals from different fields to join forces in designing an individual treatment plan for each patient. Cases are reviewed by the group to arrive at a consensus as to the best treatment strategies. Treatment recommendations are then offered to patients and their families.

The WNY Neuro-oncology Center sees patients with a wide variety of brain tumor types, including metastatic brain tumors, glioblastoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, acoustic neuroma, meningioma, craniopharyngioma, pituitary tumors and others. The diversity of tumor types seen and the number of patients evaluated provide team members with extensive experience in managing brain and spinal tumor problems. Patients can be referred for evaluation and treatment by their primary physician or medical oncologists. NOC physicians maintain prompt and ongoing dialogue with the patient's primary care physician.

Treatment Options

Surgery

Surgery remains the most effective treatment option for most brain tumors. NOC neurosurgeons utilize a variety of techniques to remove brain tumors; while sparing sensitive neighboring tissues. Cortical mapping techniques performed under awake conditions are sometimes used to identify and protect sites of language, motor and sensory function during surgery. Advanced surgical navigation systems are also used to enhance the precision of tumor localization and resection.

Gamma Knife

Gamma Knife surgery uses 201 intersecting beams of gamma radiation directed at a specific point within the brain. This precise targeting with beams of radiation can be highly effective treatment for certain types of brain tumors and conditions, but with fewer serious risks than conventional surgery. Neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute use the Gamma Knife Model 4C to treat patients with brain tumors, trigeminal neuralgia, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and Parkinson's Disease. Over 1,000 patients have been treated at the RPCI Gamma Knife Center, which opened in November 1998.

Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery:

This minimally invasive procedure employs the Leksell Gamma Knife - a revolutionary, state-of-the-art instrument that allows brain tumors (both benign and malignant), arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and other disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux to be treated quickly and effectively without surgical incisions or invasive neurosurgery.

The brain lesion is first visualized using MRI and cerebral angiography. A treatment plan created using a computer workstation operated by a team of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and physicists. Then, the Gamma Knife unit is used to deliver 201 intersecting gamma ray beams to the target in the patient's brain with high precision. Because all of the 201 beams are directed at a single point within the tumor, the lesion gets a high dose of radiation; whereas, a rim of normal tissue surrounding the lesion gets a much lower dose that it can tolerate.

The Gamma Knife Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute offers patients the option of minimally invasive Gamma Knife radiosurgery. The Gamma Knife procedure serves as an effective alternative to conventional neurosurgery or traditional radiation therapy in the treatment of certain brain disorders.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with certain types of brain tumors. It targets cells that are dividing rapidly, making chemotherapy drugs especially toxic to malignant tissues. Because not all tumors are vulnerable to a single anticancer drug, neuro-oncologists sometimes use a combination of drugs for brain tumor chemotherapy. Research is seeking to determine the best combination of drugs to combat brain tumor growth.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy plays a major role in the treatment of many brain tumors and can improve survival. A number of investigational radiation therapy clinical studies are offered through the NOC and RPCI's Department of Radiation Medicine. RPCI has full membership in the national Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), which has activated 300 clinical studies and enrolled a total of about 60,000 patients onto cooperative group studies since it was established in 1968. Many of these studies have resulted in treatments that are considered standard today.

Research

Research on new treatments provides options for brain tumor patients. Patients may choose to participate in clinical trials of new therapies. Members of the NOC are conducting a number of clinical and laboratory studies on new chemotherapeutic agents and Gamma Knife stereotactic surgery. One area of investigation focuses on tumor vaccines in the potential treatment and prevention of malignant gliomas. This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health.