The University of Chicago Medicine's Brain Tumor Center represents the forefront of groundbreaking care for tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), the part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord. 

Our multidisciplinary team of neuro-oncologists, neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and hematologist/oncologists work together to plan and deliver individualized care for patients with the most complex brain and spinal cord tumors.
 

Why Choose UChicago Medicine for your brain or spine tumor treatment?

  • UChicago Medicine surgeons perform hundreds of brain and spine tumor operations every year.
  • We offer definitive diagnostic assessments using the latest technology and minimally-invasive techniques to pinpoint even the most difficult-to-detect tumors.
  • Patients benefit from our full range of comprehensive treatment options for non-malignant and malignant brain and spinal cord tumors.

Leading the Advancement of Brain & Spinal Cord Tumor Treatment

At the Brain Tumor Center, our treatment strategies are guided by innovative research conducted at UChicago Medicine. Our scientists are helping build critical foundations for future advancements in the treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors. 

Through our basic research program, UChicago Medicine scientists investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in how brain and spinal cord tumors develop, survive and spread. Collaborative initiatives with the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center aim to substantially advance the treatment and prevention of brain and spinal cord metastases. This scientific research is supported by numerous grants, including a $90 million grant supporting the Ludwig Center for Metastases Research. 
 

Access to Innovative Clinical Trials

UChicago Medicine researchers are conducting clinical research focused on brain and spinal cord tumors. Our Comprehensive Cancer Center offers access to the entire range of Phase I, II, and III clinical trials supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for newly-diagnosed and progressive gliomas, as well as brain metastases. 

In addition to national trials supported by the NIH, we also conduct industry- and investigator-sponsored clinical trials. These studies involve a range of treatments including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy and vaccines. Your doctor can help you decide whether a clinical trial is right for you.

At the University of Chicago Medicine Brain Tumor Center, we specialize in using sophisticated imaging technology and minimally-invasive techniques to determine the location, shape and growth stage of your tumor. 

Depending on the tumor, your doctor may take a blood sample or fluid from your spine to look for biomarkers that provide more detailed information on your cancer. Examining a tumor’s biomarkers can also help tailor your treatment plan. 

Biopsy

Your doctor may decide you need to have a biopsy, a procedure in which a small sample of tumor tissue is taken. That sample can show doctors whether your tumor is benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). It can also show what type of tumor it is, which can help decide the sort of treatment you’ll need. There are several types of biopsies:

  • Needle biopsy: This type of biopsy is often used if a tumor is in a part of the brain or spine that is hard to reach or near a vital area. For brain tumor biopsies, a special frame may be put on your head to hold it still. Your surgeon will use a thin needle guided by a computed tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to collect cell samples from your tumor.
  • Open biopsy (craniotomy): An open biopsy is done through an opening in the skull. During the procedure, which is also called a craniotomy, the scalp is cut and a piece of skull bone is taken out, allowing the surgeon access to the brain. Often, an early diagnosis is made while you are still in the operating room. An open biopsy may also allow your doctor to remove as much of the tumor as possible.

 Once your diagnosis is confirmed, our multidisciplinary team will discuss with you your case and collaborate on a customized treatment plan.

Primary Brain Tumors

A brain tumor is a mass of abnormal cells in the brain. Some tumors are caused by inherited genetic conditions, such as neurofibromatosis, von Hippel-Lindau disease and tuberous sclerosis, but most occur because of changes in genes that have yet to be fully understood by researchers.

Primary tumors are growths that start in the brain (metastatic tumors are caused by cancer that has travelled to the brain from another place in the body). All brain tumors are either benign – meaning they are not cancerous – or malignant, meaning they are cancerous. However, brain tumors can cause serious damage even when they are benign. The tumors listed below are some of the most common types of primary brain tumors.
 

Gliomas

These tumors arise from glial cells and can occur in the regions of the brain that control functions like movement, speech, thought and emotion. They can also affect the brain stem — the lower part of the brain that controls functions like breathing, blood pressure and heartbeat — as well as optic nerves and the cerebellum. Some gliomas are caused by genetic disorders; exposure to radiation may also play a factor. The vast majority of gliomas are cancerous. Types of gliomas include: 

  • Glioblastomas are the most aggressive and fastest growing cancerous brain tumor. They are the most common type of brain tumor. 
  • Astrocytomas are cancerous tumors that grow from spider-shaped cells called astrocytes in the brain or spine. They can be slow or fast-growing, depending on the type.
  • Oligodendrogliomas start in cells called oligodendrocytes, which help form the fatty covering of nerve cells in the brain or spinal cord. These cancerous tumors tend to be slow growing.
  • Ependymomas usually grow slowly and may be found in the brain or spinal cord. Ependymomas occur when ependymal cells – a type of glial cell that lines the chambers of the brain that contain cushioning fluid – grow uncontrollably.

Meningiomas

Meningiomas are one of the most common tumors in the brain area. Most are non-cancerous; the tumors grow in the meninges, which are the membranes lining the skull and spinal canal. Because they can compress the brain and spine, their size and location can cause neurological problems like headaches, seizures and even loss of smell. These tumors can occur along the skull base beneath the brain. Skull base meningiomas can be challenging to surgically remove because of their location.
 

Pineal Tumors

A pineal tumor is a tumor of the pineal gland, which secretes melatonin, a substance that affects your sleep-wake cycles. These very rare tumors happen most often to children and adults younger than 40. They can cause problems by pressing against other parts of the brain, and they can also block the normal flow of fluid that bathes your brain and spine, causing increased pressure, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Pineal tumors include pineocytomas, pineoblastomas and mixed pineal tumors.

 

Skull Base Tumors

The skull base refers to the bottom part of your skull, upon which rests the brain. Tumors located at the skull base involve delicate blood vessels, nerves and other structures. If left untreated, skull base tumors can lead to serious consequences, such as blindness or stroke. Types of skull base tumors include:

  • Pituitary Tumors: A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth in the pituitary gland, a small gland located behind your nose that makes hormones affecting other glands and bodily functions. Most pituitary tumors are non-cancerous and do not spread to other parts of the body; some, however, cause the pituitary to make too few or too many hormones, which causes problems. The tumors can also press against the nearby optic nerves, which triggers vision problems. If a pituitary tumor isn’t causing noticeable symptoms, it may not be discovered until a routine brain imaging or blood test occurs. 
  • Acoustic neuroma: An acoustic neuroma is a rare, noncancerous tumor that grows slowly and tends to affect patients in middle age. This tumor presses on the inner ear’s hearing and balance nerves; a large tumor may press on a person’s facial nerve or brain structures. Patients may experience hearing loss on one side, ringing in the ears, dizziness, facial numbness, tingling or headaches. Unilateral acoustic neuromas affect only one ear, while bilateral acoustic neuromas affect both and are caused by an inherited genetic disorder, neurofibromatosis-2.
  • Chordomas: Chordomas are a rare form of bone cancer that occur along the length of the spine, including the base of the skull. Skull-base chordomas commonly affect the nerves that control movement of the face, eyes and swallowing. Symptoms include pain or changes in nerve function, headache, face/neck pain, double vision, facial numbness or paralysis, changes in speech or swallowing problems. 
     

Metastatic (Secondary) Brain Tumors

A metastatic brain tumor is cancer that started elsewhere in the body that has spread to the brain. For instance, a tumor can start in the lung, then spread to the brain—even if the cancer is controlled at the original site. These types of brain tumors are also called secondary tumors. In adults, they are more common than tumors that originate in the brain. 

Cancer can spread to the brain through your lymph system, bloodstream or nearby tissue. In most cases, metastatic brain tumors are found in the cerebrum, the outer part of the brain that controls your thoughts, emotions and language ability.

For Treatment Options Visit https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/conditions-services/cancer/brain-tumors/treatment