Treating Brain Tumors
Treatment for brain tumors varies from patient to patient. Before developing a treatment plan that's right for you, we take
into consideration the following factors:
- size and location of the tumor
- results of the lab tests
- the stage or extent of the disease
- type of tumor
- the degree to which the disease has spread
- your age and general health
- your preferences about treatment options
Methods of treatment for brain tumors are local or systemic. A patient may receive just one form of treatment or a combination
of the two.
Local treatments - are used to remove, destroy or control the cancer cells in a specific area. Surgery and radiation therapy are considered
local treatments.
Systemic treatments - are used to destroy or control cancer cells anywhere in the body. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment that utilizes certain
drugs to kill cancer cells.
Treatment is performed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists including:
- neuro-oncologist
- neurosurgeon
- radiation oncologist
- pathologist
- radiologist
Typically a treatment plan is developed that includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, investigational therapies
or a combination of approaches. The choice of treatment for brain tumors depends mainly on the type of tumor, although the
location and size of the tumor are important factors.
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