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  1. Basics
  2. Symptoms
  3. Diagnosis
  4. Treatment
  5. Knowledge Center

Our Approach

Each patient who comes to MD Anderson’s Brain and Spine Center for brain tumor treatment receives customized care from some of the nation’s top experts. From diagnosis through treatment and follow-up, you are the focus of a team of specialists who personalize your therapy for your unique situation.

We have one of the most active programs in the country for treatment of benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancer) brain tumors. This gives us a level of expertise and experience that can translate into more successful outcomes for many brain tumor patients.

Our team approach to care brings together more than 70 highly trained physicians from some 14 areas, all dedicated to brain tumor care or research. Each team is joined by a specially trained support staff. They all work together closely to be sure you receive individualized care.

Specialized, Comprehensive Care

Successful brain tumor care depends on accurate diagnosis. At the Brain and Spine Center, four neuropathologists focus only on diagnosing brain and spine tumors. This sets us apart from many other cancer centers and helps us target each tumor for optimal outcomes.

MD Anderson neurosurgeons are among the most skilled and recognized in the world. They perform a large number of brain tumor surgeries each year, using the least-invasive and most-advanced techniques.

Modern technology and techniques available to treat brain tumors, including:

  • BrainSuite
  • Gamma Knife
  • Proton therapy

Pioneering Research

Several brain tumor treatments that are standard care around the world were discovered here, including:

  • Berubicin, the first blood-brain penetrating agent
  • Temozolomide, a drug to treat glioblastoma

And, we continue to look at new diagnostic and treatment approaches, including attacking disease on a molecular basis. We are able to offer clinical trials of target therapies in some cases.

We are proud to be one of the few cancer centers in the nation to house a prestigious federally funded brain tumor SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) program. We’re studying new ways to prevent and treat brain tumors to give patients everywhere futures filled with hope.

Brain tumor symptoms depend on the area of the brain affected. Brain tumors can:

  • Invade and destroy brain tissue
  • Put pressure on nearby tissue
  • Take up space and increase pressure within the skull (intracranial pressure)
  • Cause fluids to accumulate in the brain
  • Block normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid through the spaces within the brain
  • Cause bleeding

Brain tumor symptoms vary from person to person. They may include:

  • Headaches, which are often the first symptom. A headache due to a brain tumor usually becomes more frequent as time passes. It is often worse when you lie down or first awaken.
  • Seizures
  • Changes in mental function, mood or personality. You may become withdrawn, moody or inefficient at work. You may feel drowsy, confused and unable to think. Depression and anxiety, especially if either develops suddenly, may be an early symptom of a brain tumor. You may become uninhibited or behave in ways you never have before.
  • Changes in speech (trouble finding words, talking incoherently, inability to express or understand language)
  • Changes in the ability to hear, smell or see, including double or blurred vision
  • Loss of balance or coordination
  • Change in the ability to feel heat, cold, pressure, a light touch or sharp objects
  • Changes in pulse and breathing rates if brain tumor compresses the brain stem

These symptoms do not always mean you have a brain tumor. However, it is important to discuss any symptoms with your doctor, since they may signal other health problems.

If you have a brain tumor, it is important to get the most accurate diagnosis possible. This will help your doctor pinpoint the tumor to give you the most-advanced treatment with the least impact on your body.

We have the most modern and accurate equipment available to home in on brain tumors and find out exactly how far they may have spread.

Our specialized staff truly sets us apart. The Brain and Spine Center has four renowned neuropathologists who focus only on diagnosing brain and spine tumors. They are an essential part of our team, and their expertise and experience can make a big difference in brain tumor treatment success.

Brain Tumor Diagnostic Tests

If you have symptoms that may signal a brain tumor, your doctor will examine you and ask you questions about your health, your lifestyle and your family history.

One or more of the following tests may be used to find out if you have a brain tumor and if it has spread. These tests also may be used to find out if treatment is working.

Biopsy: While imaging tests may show an area that may be a brain tumor, a biopsy is almost always needed to diagnose a brain tumor. A biopsy may be done by either of two methods.

Surgery: A biopsy may be done during surgery in which all or part of the brain tumor is removed. The operation also is called a craniotomy. If a tumor is difficult to reach, a CT (computed tomography) scan may be used for three-dimensional needle placement (stereotactic biopsy). This helps doctors precisely locate the tumor.

Sterotactic (needle) biopsy: This method may be used if the suspicious area is in a place that makes surgery too risky or difficult.

Imaging tests, which may include:

  • CT (computed tomography) scans
  • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
  • PET (positive emission tomography) scan

Lumbar puncture: A small amount of cerebrospinal fluid (clear liquid in and around the brain and spine) is removed with a needle and looked at with a microscope. This test may be done if:

  • Doctors suspect tumor has invaded the layers of tissue that cover the brain (meninges)
  • When the diagnosis or type of tumor is not clear

Our Treatment Approach

They take a team approach to deliver the most-advanced therapies with the fewest possible side effects, keeping a constant eye on your quality of life.

These highly trained physicians work together to give individualized care for malignant (cancer) and benign (non-cancer) brain tumors, collaborating and communicating frequently. Your personal team of experts may include renowned neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and neuro-oncologists, supported by a specially trained staff.

Surgical Expertise

Like all surgeries, brain tumor surgery is most successful when it is performed by a specialist with a great deal of experience in the particular experience. This is especially true with brain tumors, because it is crucial to remove as much of the tumor as possible while leaving intact as much brain function as possible.

MD Anderson neurosurgeons are among the most skilled and recognized in the world. They perform a large number of brain tumor surgeries each year, using the least-invasive and most-advanced techniques.

And MD Anderson has the most-modern technology available to treat brain tumors, including:

  • Brainsuite®
  • Gamma Knife
  • Proton therapy

We are proud to be one of the few cancer centers in the nation to house a prestigious federally fundedbrain SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) program. This means we have a range of clinical trials of investigative treatments.

Contact Us

TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Dr. E Borges Road, Parel, Mumbai - 400 012 India
Phone: +91-22- 24177000, 24177300, 24161413
Fax: +91-22-24146937
E-mail : msoffice@tmc.gov.in(for patient care and queries)/cash@tmc.gov.in(for accounts related)/fundraising@tmc.gov.in (for donors and donation related)/registrar@tmc.gov.in(for education and training)/hrd@tmc.gov.in(for administrative - HRD matters) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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