Brain Tumors

Because the brain is the body's command center, diagnosis of a brain tumor was long regarded as ominous news. But recent, revolutionary advances in understanding these complex tumors, combined with ever expanding powerful treatments, have dramatically improved the outlook for patients with brain tumors.

Clinical Programs to treat

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• Benign brain tumors including: menigiomas, gliomas, and metastatic tumors
• Malignant brain tumors including: gliomas, GBM, and astrocytoma
• Acoustic neuromas
• Skull base tumors
• Pseudotumor cerebri

Gamma Knife

Upstate Medical University Neurosurgery ranks as a national leader in effective and innovative brain tumor treatment, having performed hundreds of brain tumor resections annually. Our team of prominent specialists are uniquely trained to use the only Gamma Knife in Central New York and have played a leading role in development of neuronavigational tools.

Evolving Treatment Options and Imaging Breakthroughs

Diagnosis and treatment for brain tumors includes surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Under these broad categories are dozens of highly focused treatments including:

• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Image-guided surgery
• Brain mapping
• Immunotherapy

An individualized course of treatment is developed for each patient, often with a progression of treatments, such as surgical resection followed by chemotherapy.

Collaborative Effort

The treatment of a brain tumor is one of the most interdisciplinary endeavors in medicine requiring a wide array of treatments, technologies and specialists—resources available at Upstate Medical University. The medical team for a tumor patient often requires a neurosurgeon, neurologist, medical and radiation oncologists, a clinical psychologist, physical, occupational and speech therapists, plus nurses, dieticians, and social workers.