Brain Tumor Treatment and Care

Mercy Health neurological oncologists are highly skilled at diagnosing and providing comprehensive care for a variety of common brain tumors. We use a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment that brings together a team including your neurologist, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons and pathologists to create the best treatment plan for you. At Mercy Health, we understand the importance of treating the whole person and are dedicated to providing our patients advanced brain tumor treatment, with fellowship trained physicians and a collaborative approach to your care. We offer state-of-the-art technology to treat tumors of the brain, as well as experienced patient navigators who help guide you and your family through the cancer journey – in mind, body and spirit.

Brain tumors can be either primary, meaning that the growth of cancerous cells begins in your brain, or secondary, meaning that cancer has spread to your brain from another part of your body. Brain tumors can also be malignant or benign, but all brain tumors should be dealt with as soon as they are found. Benign tumors of the brain are noncancerous, but can continue to grow and cause serious and even life-threatening issues. The symptoms of brain tumors vary based on the type and size of the tumor, and some tumors can cause no symptoms until they are quite large, so it’s important to talk to your doctor if you suffer from the following symptoms:

• Seizures
• Changes in speech or hearing
• Changes in vision
• Balance problems
• Problems with walking
• Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
• Problems with memory
• Personality changes
• Inability to concentrate
• Weakness in one part of the body

It is also important to keep in mind that all of these symptoms can be caused by a number of different conditions, so talking with your doctor and making sure that you are receiving the necessary tests should be your first course of action.

One of Mercy Health’s most powerful tools against brain tumors is Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Gamma Knife® treatment is a form of stereotactic radiosurgery. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a nonsurgical form of radiation therapy that enables highly focused beams of radiation to be targeted directly to the lesion, while protecting surrounding healthy tissue. Stereotactic radiosurgery is an option for many conditions of the brain, head or neck. With the Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™, our radiosurgery team has the capability to treat a broad spectrum of tumors of the brain. Gamma Knife radiosurgery successfully treats benign and malignant tumors, helping you live life without the need for traditional brain surgery.