Brain Tumor Program | Diagnostics and Treatments
Sutter Neuroscience Institute
Diagnosing a Brain Tumor
Brain tumor symptoms vary patient to patient and these symptoms can also be found in people who do not have a brain tumor. This is why a medical work-up and imaging of the brain are very important when diagnosing a tumor.
Symptoms
A doctor should be seen if the following symptoms appear:
- Frequent headaches
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of balance
- Loss of vision
- Changes in mood and personality
- Changes in ability to think, learn and speak
- Seizures
- Confusion or disorientation
- Weakness or paralysis in one part of the body
Imaging Studies
Computed Tomography (CT)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Pathology
Brain tumor tissues taken by way of biopsy or neurosurgery are sent to a pathology lab for further examination. In this process, neuropathologists can identify the type of tumor the patient has, or verify the neurosurgeon’s diagnosis.
Innovative Treatment Options
No two brain tumors patients are the same, every case is different, and therefore our treatment plan is patient-specific. Our multidisciplinary team reviews type and location of the tumor, the patient’s general health, medical history, and their preferences to come up with a course of treatment. This treatment may include:
Radiation Therapy
Use of energy rays to stop tumor growth.
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
Beams of radiation to reduce or eliminate brain tumors.
Chemotherapy
Drugs used to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells.
- Basic and Clinical Trials
Neurosurgery
Surgery to remove as much as the tumor as possible.
- Microsurgical Tumor Removal
- Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring
- Image Guided Stereotactic Techniques
Research can provide promising treatment options for patients with brain tumors. Whenever possible, our team works with the patient to research and coordinate care through clinical trials. If a patient is accepted into a clinical trial, our neuro-oncologist follows the patient’s care through every stage of treatment while remaining in close contact with the trial’s investigators, and the other brain tumor team members.
