A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE APPROACH TO BRAIN CANCER TREATMENT
Managing brain cancer treatment with a multidisciplinary approach (primary or secondary) ensures that you will have the very best minds working collaboratively on a personalized treatment plan. Your team will include neurosurgeons, our medical and radiation oncologists, and licensed oncology clinical social workers. Treatment options may include surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of options depending upon your overall general health and the location of the tumors.
Clinical research trials represent some of the most advanced treatment options. Click here to learn more.
ADVANCED THERAPIES, ADVANCED CARE
If surgery is an option we will refer you to a neurosurgeon experienced in performing minimally invasive surgical procedures. For resectable tumors the neurosurgeon will locate and remove as much of the cancerous tissue as possible. For tumors that cannot be managed using only surgery, or for tumors that are considered inoperable, stereotactic radiosurgery can be a nonsurgical treatment alternative.
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an extremely precise computerized technique used to treat some brain tumors by delivering a high dose of radiation in one single treatment. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to pinpoint the location and exact shape of the tumor. SRS utilizes microbeamlets of radiation precisely focused to within a fraction of a millimeter of the brain tumor while avoiding the surrounding healthy brain tissue.
At Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, we have not only the most advanced radiation therapy technology but our radiation oncologists have the knowledge and experience to take advantage of the advanced technology to our patients’ maximum benefit. The Novalis Tx is one of the most advanced radiation therapy delivery systems available today for stereotactic radiosurgery. It is more versatile than Cyberknife or Gammaknife because of its ability to shape the radiation beam to match the tumor while protecting nearby healthy tissue. Additionally it allows treatment of larger, more irregularly-shaped tumors. In addition to radiation therapy your treatment plan may include chemotherapy to prevent tumor growth.
At Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers we are never satisfied with the status quo and are constantly trying to develop new and better treatments for cancer. That is what clinical research trials are for. Research trials come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they usually involve an attempt to improve upon current treatments, perhaps by adding a promising new drug or by replacing an older drug with a newer one in a regimen. We will advise you about the availability of research trials for you, discuss the risks and benefits of your treatment options, and work with you to make a decision about what is the best treatment in your particular case.
SUPPORTIVE CARE
When cancer shatters your world, our team of licensed oncology clinical social workers are here as a resource for you, your family and your caregivers. As counselors we provide a safe, supportive and open environment for you to share your feelings, learn coping strategies and explore ways to live as fully and joyfully as possible. We work in tandem with your doctor to ensure that you have access to counseling, brain tumor support groups, educational events and referrals to appropriate community resources. We also have financial counselors, who can educate you about costs and help you tap into resources for assistance if financial difficulties arise. We are passionate about assisting patients and their families dealing with cancer and encourage you to contact us to learn more about the support available to you.
