Brain Tumor Treatment

Coordinated, compassionate brain tumor treatment

Thanks to treatment advances, life with a brain tumor is now more hopeful, with many patients measuring their survival in years. At our center:

• Every effort is made to select the most promising therapy with minimal side effects, so you can achieve the highest quality of life.
• We offer a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach with superior access and convenience, including scheduling same-day MRIs.
• When needed, our team partners with Henry Ford Medical Group physicians in other departments.
• We offer continuous symptom and quality of life assessment with referrals to behavioral health, social work and palliative care as needed.
• We offer guaranteed brain tumor consultations with a neurosurgeon or neuro-oncologist within 24 business hours.
• Consultations, treatments and surgeries are provided at our brain tumor center, with chemotherapy and radiation therapy also available at additional locations.
• We can provide complete case management throughout your brain tumor treatment. We also offer partial case management if preferred — for example, if you have had surgery elsewhere and just need postoperative care. If you have been referred to Henry Ford, we also partner with your referring physician to develop a shared brain tumor treatment plan.

If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, you want the best brain tumor treatment. Our brain tumor experts at Hermelin Brain Tumor Center stay one step ahead, offering advanced surgical techniques and effective follow-up therapies.

We also provide access to new brain tumor treatments, including potential participation in clinical trials found at only a few centers in the country.

Personalized brain tumor treatment plans

Every brain tumor case is unique, presenting its own treatment challenges. We provide effective care tailored to your individual needs, while helping you maintain the highest possible quality of life.

Examples of brain tumor cases we see include:

• Metastatic cancers that have spread from other areas of the body
• Highly aggressive tumors
• Tumors located deep in the brain or near a center controlling a critical function

Weekly brain tumor boards at Hermelin Brain Tumor Center

To ensure personalized brain tumor treatment, your case will be reviewed by our weekly brain tumor board, one of the nation’s most experienced. Medical professionals from various specialties review imaging and other test results, previous or current therapies, and your medical condition. They then discuss the best possible brain tumor treatment options.

Our tumor board features:

• Neurosurgeons
• Neuro-oncologists
• Medical oncologists
• Radiation oncologists
• Neuroradiologists
• Hematologists
• Neuropathologists
• Clinical trials coordinators

Brain tumor treatment options

After the brain tumor board completes its review, your care team will meet with you to discuss the recommendations. Your team will develop a personalized brain tumor treatment plan that meets your needs and supports your family.

Depending on your individual case, your brain tumor treatment plan could include:

• Surgery: Our brain surgeons are experts in the latest techniques and are national leaders in the use of technologies that make surgery safer, such as intraoperative MRI (iMRI). Learn more about brain tumor surgery.
• Radiation therapy: We offer the most advanced methods, including 3-D conformal radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery. Learn more about brain cancer radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy: Our innovative techniques use delivery methods designed to minimize toxicity. Learn more about brain cancer chemotherapy.
• Laser therapy: We can treat certain tumors with an alternative to surgery. Learn more about Visualase laser treatment.
• Metastatic treatment: We offer a dedicated metastatic brain cancer program and led the development of comprehensive national guidelines for treating this challenging disease. Learn more about metastatic brain cancer treatment.
• Clinical trials: You may be eligible to participate in one of our leading-edge clinical trials investigating the latest brain tumor treatment options. Learn more about brain cancer clinical trials, including the GBM AGILE Trial.
• Tumor-treating fields therapy: For patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM), we offer a new FDA-approved treatment device called Optune®. The wearable device creates electronic tumor-treating fields, that can stop or slow the growth of brain cancer. In some cases, it may kill cancer cells. Learn more about tumor-treating fields therapy.

Coordinated, compassionate brain tumor treatment

Thanks to treatment advances, life with a brain tumor is now more hopeful, with many patients measuring their survival in years. At our center:

• Every effort is made to select the most promising therapy with minimal side effects, so you can achieve the highest quality of life.
• We offer a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach with superior access and convenience, including scheduling same-day MRIs.
• When needed, our team partners with Henry Ford Medical Group physicians in other departments.
• We offer continuous symptom and quality of life assessment with referrals to behavioral health, social work and palliative care as needed.
• We offer guaranteed brain tumor consultations with a neurosurgeon or neuro-oncologist within 24 business hours.
• Consultations, treatments and surgeries are provided at our brain tumor center, with chemotherapy and radiation therapy also available at additional locations.
• We can provide complete case management throughout your brain tumor treatment. We also offer partial case management if preferred — for example, if you have had surgery elsewhere and just need postoperative care. If you have been referred to Henry Ford, we also partner with your referring physician to develop a shared brain tumor treatment plan.