Brain & Spinal Tumor Treatments
Treatment options for brain cancer and spinal tumors
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Multidisciplinary Treatment at the Brain Tumor Center
At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), our specialists provide prompt, accurate diagnoses, along with compassionate, patient-centered care for all types of brain, skull-base and spinal tumors. Our dedicated Brain Tumor Center, Division of Neuro-Oncology and Division of Neurosurgery are dedicated to offering leading-edge, research-backed treatment options tailored to each patient’s needs.
Medical Oncology Care
In recent years, significant advances have been made in the treatment of brain cancer. Our center offers the latest and most effective therapies, ensuring you benefit from the best treatment options available.
Depending on your type of brain tumor and individualized treatment plan, you may receive treatment with chemotherapy.
In addition to conventional treatments, our center also provides access to innovative investigational treatments, including:
- Clinical trials
- Immunotherapy
- Intra-tumoral treatments
- Next-generation chemotherapeutic agents
- Small molecule therapies
Radiation Oncology Care
At BIDMC, our Radiation Oncology team offers a wide range of advanced treatment techniques in radiation therapy designed to precisely target tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Cancer care teams typically use this therapy to:
- Treat metastatic disease (cancer that has spread to the brain from another organ or location in your body).
- Reduce the risk of the tumor returning after surgery and in areas far away from the surgical site.
Depending on the type of brain tumor and your overall care plan, your care team may suggest one or more of the following options.
IMRT allows us to precisely target radiation to the tumor while sparing as much normal tissue as possible. This is an option when surgery isn’t possible or additional treatments are needed.
VMAT is effective for treating larger tumors or tumors in difficult-to-reach areas (or critical locations), such as behind the eye. This method delivers small doses of radiation over time to reduce potential short- and long-term neurological side effects.
This approach is used when multiple tumors are present in the brain. It can treat all tumors at once, including those too small to be viable on an MRI scan.
This non-invasive treatment offers high precise targeting accuracy with minimal exposure to surrounding healthy tissue, ideal for treating hard-to-reach tumors. It delivers a higher dose of in fewer sessions compared to traditional radiation therapy.
There is often a limit to the size or number of tumors that a radiation oncologist can treat. At BIDMC, we use advanced technology called CyberKnife to deliver stereotactic radiation.
Brain, Skull Base & Spinal Tumor Surgery
BIDMC provides state-of-the-art surgical care for all tumors of the brain, skull base or spine. Each treatment plan is customized for the best possible outcomes. Surgical techniques include:
- 3D computer-assisted surgical navigation for precise tumor localization and surgical planning
- 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-guided tumor removal enabling higher extent or resections
- Awake brain surgery/craniotomy to help preserve speech and motor function
- Brain mapping and stimulation to prevent damage to normal tissue
- Endoscopic minimally invasive surgery for removal of pituitary and intraventricular tumors
- Functional MRI for preoperative planning and preserving critical brain areas
- GammaTile surgically targeted radiation brachytherapy
- Intraoperative microscopes to enhance visibility during surgery
- Laser-induced thermal therapy (LITT)
- Skull-base surgery to remove tumors with minimal impact on the brain
- Ultrasound-guided technique to maximize tumor removal
- Targeted therapy (precision medicine)
Expert Subspecialty Surgery Team
Our team may include surgeons from various subspecialties, depending on the tumor’s location. We may collaborate with these other surgeons at BIDMC who are experts in their medical specialties:
With this diverse, highly skilled team, we ensure you receive the most comprehensive and compassionate care available.
Advancing Care, Research & Education
Cancer Center
The Cancer Center is renowned for exceptional cancer care and for pioneering discoveries in cancer treatment.
Cancer Research Institute
The Cancer Research Institute is an interdisciplinary center focused on understanding cancer with the goal of curing it.
Cancer Education & Training
The Cancer Center offers comprehensive education and training opportunities for residents, fellows and researchers.
