Brain Tumors

A diagnosis of cancer — any cancer — can feel overwhelming. At the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, you will find compassion and ongoing support from experienced brain tumor specialists. Our team of doctors and nurses offers everything you and your family need for a brain tumor: rapid diagnosis, personalized care and expert brain tumor treatment.

When standard brain cancer treatment fails, patients and doctors from across Michigan and the Midwest turn to us. We offer hope through individualized treatment plans and a world-class, coordinated care team. We also seek to revolutionize the care we provide, working toward the day when all brain cancers are controllable, if not curable.

Top brain tumor center for Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and beyond

At the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, doctors with varying fields of expertise come together on your behalf, for a true multidisciplinary approach. We offer:

• National leadership: Since 1993, our brain tumor center has been recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for delivering leading brain tumor therapies. Henry Ford was among a select group of the nation’s centers — and the only one in Michigan — chosen to participate in the NCI-funded Adult Brain Tumor Consortium (ABTC) and Brain Tumor Trials Collaborative (BTTC).
• Convenience and fast access: You receive all the initial care you need at our brain tumor center, with a patient coordinator to help with your needs. If you need chemotherapy or radiation therapy, we can provide those treatments at satellite locations that may be closer or more convenient for you. We also guarantee appointments with a brain tumor specialist within 24 business hours. Learn more about our brain tumor 24-hour appointment guarantee.
• Top diagnostics and imaging: We offer the latest tests for accurate brain tumor diagnosis and treatment guidance. Specialized options include Michigan’s only magnetoencephalography (MEG) system for mapping brain activity. Spectroscopy and perfusion CT scanning can locate invading cancer cells and distinguish between radiation side effects and returned tumors.
• Personalized approach: Our tumor typing looks at each tumor’s specific molecular features to identify the most promising treatments. If you need surgery, we can store a sample of the removed tumor for further analysis and tailored treatments that may later become available. Learn more about our brain tumor typing and brain tumor bank.
• Glioblastoma expertise: We have treated more than 1,900 people with glioblastoma, the most aggressive primary brain tumor. In addition, our brain tumor team led the development of new national guidelines for progressive glioblastoma. Learn more about brain tumor types.
• Options for metastatic disease: We offer a dedicated program for cancer that has spread to the brain. Our team led the effort to develop comprehensive national guidelines for treating this challenging disease. Learn more about metastatic brain cancer treatment.
• Second opinions: If you’ve received a diagnosis or treatment recommendations at another center, our team can provide you with an expert, outside consultation for peace of mind. Learn more about the brain tumor doctors on our team.

Tailored brain tumor treatments at Henry Ford

Your case will be reviewed by our multidisciplinary brain tumor board, with members making personalized recommendations that meet your needs. Even if doctors elsewhere have said you have an inoperable brain tumor, our experienced surgeons may be able to help.

Our options for brain tumor treatment draw from a range of the latest approaches, with a record of innovation. Some treatments we were the first in Michigan to offer, and some the first in the country:

• Safer and more precise brain tumor surgeries, featuring better ways to highlight tumor cells, MRI during operations (intraoperative MRI), robotic assistance and awake craniotomies (when appropriate)
• Newer delivery methods for brain cancer chemotherapy that reduce side effects
• Targeted brain cancer radiation therapy, including 3-D conformal radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery with the EDGE®, the most advanced system available
• Minimally invasive Visualase laser treatment for certain tumors
• Access to the latest brain cancer clinical trials, with everyone we see evaluated for possible participation

Living with a brain tumor

We understand that brain cancer treatment goes far beyond scans and surgery. Paying attention to your physical and emotional needs is also key to your long-term well-being. Our program focuses on streamlining treatment and helping you maintain the highest quality of life possible.

Learn more about our brain tumor support services. Or find out what to expect after a brain tumor diagnosis.