Treatment Options

SCCA’s Neuro-Oncology team offers the best and most current treatment to patients with brain and spinal cord cancers. This includes offering treatments based on the latest available scientific evidence and clinical research studies. We work toward discovering and implementing new treatments and technologies when caring for our patients and managing their disease.

The goals for managing brain and spinal cord cancers are to:

• Remove or destroy the cancer through surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. 
• Relieve symptoms and signs that are due to the cancer pressing on the brain or spinal cord. 
• Improve the overall functioning and quality of life of the patient.

Depending on the type of cancer, treatment may include:

• Surgery
• Radiation 
• Chemotherapy 
• Biological therapy/Vaccine therapy
• Managing the Side Effects of Treatment

The type of treatment for brain and spinal cord cancers depends on many factors including the type of cancer, location of the cancer, overall health of the patient, and the patient’s wants and needs. Information about side effects of these treatments is included as well.

Published Treatment Articles

 

Here's a list of articles published by SCCA physicians that describe in detail various treatment options for brain and spinal cord cancers:

 

Brain Tumors

• The role of PET in the management of brain tumors (PDF) by Dr. Alexander Spence 
  
• Anaplastic Astrocytomas: A review of biology and treatment (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
  
• Treatment of central neurocytomas (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
  
• Oligodendroglial tumors: a review (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues 
  

Glioblastoma

• Glioblastoma multiforme tumor treatment (PDF)
  By medical neuro-oncologist Dr. Marc Chamberlain. This article reviewed research results in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. 
  
• Treatment options for glioblastoma (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
  

Leukemia

• Leukemia and the Nervous System (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain

Malignant Glioma

• Therapy for recurrent malignant glioma in adults (PDF) by Maciej Mrugala, MD, PhD, MPH and colleagues. This article discusses treatments for recurrent glioma.
  
• Practical guidelines for the treatment of malignant gliomas (PDF) co-authored by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues. 

Meningiomas

• Intracranial meningiomas: an overview of diagnosis and treatment by Dr. Jason Rockhill, Dr. Mrugala, and Dr. Chamberlain

Neoplastic Meningitis

• Neoplastic Meningitis (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
  
• Neoplastic Meningitis (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues

Seizures

• Evaluation and management of seizures in the patient with cancer (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain. 

Spinal cord treatments

• Epidural spinal cord compression: A single institution’s retrospective experience (PDF) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues. 
  
• Minimally invasive resection of intradural-extramedullary spinal neoplasms (PDF) by Dr. Trent Tredway and colleagues 

SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES

Read more information on actual Scientific Articles written by SCCA physicians:

07-08-2008		Anaplastic Astrocytomas: A review of biology and treatment (325kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain.
07-08-2008		Epidural spinal cord compression: A single institution’s retrospective experience (101kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues.
07-08-2008		Evaluation and management of seizures in the patient with cancer (547kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
07-08-2008		Glioblastoma multiforme tumor treatment By medical neuro-oncologist Dr. Marc Chamberlain. This article reviewed research results in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.
07-08-2008		Intracranial meningiomas: an overview of diagnosis and treatment (151kb) by Dr. Jason Rockhill, Dr. Mrugala, and Dr. Chamberlain
07-08-2008		Leukemia and the Nervous System (95kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain.
07-08-2008		Minimally invasive resection of intradural-extramedullary spinal neoplasms (985kb) By Dr. Trent Tredway and colleagues
07-08-2008		Neoplastic Meningitis (107kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
07-08-2008		Neoplastic Meningitis (107kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues
07-08-2008		Oligodendroglial tumors: a review (180kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues
07-08-2008		Practical guidelines for the treatment of malignant gliomas (1566kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain and colleagues
07-08-2008		The role of PET in the management of brain tumors (747kb) by Dr. Alexander Spence
07-08-2008		Therapy for recurrent malignant glioma in adults (1606kb) by Maciej Mrugala, MD, PhD, MPH and colleagues. This article discusses treatments for recurrent glioma.
07-08-2008		Treatment of central neurocytomas (61kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain
07-08-2008		Treatment options for glioblastoma (163kb) by Dr. Marc Chamberlain