Background for Neuro-Oncology Services

The Neuro-Oncology Team at Roswell Park treats a large portion of the brain tumor patients of Western New York. A recent study of over 400 neurosurgeons in the US reporter that the average neurosurgeon performs 20 craniotomy operations for brain tumors each year. Roswell Park neurosurgeons perform many times this number because their practices are focused on tumors of the central nervous system

The Neuro-Oncology Team uses a multidisciplinary approach to deliver the most advanced treatments available including conventional and computer-assisted neurosurgery, micro-neurosurgery, brain mapping/away craniotomy, endoscopic neurosurgery, Gamma Knife radiosurgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and spinal tumor surgery and reconstruction.

Member of the Neuro-oncology Team collaborate with their colleagues in the field to advance the understanding and treatment of brain and spine tumors.

Members of the team work together to treat patients with cancer and benign tumors of the brain and central nervous system.

Metastatic brain tumors originate in organs other than the brain. These include the lung, breast, colon, kidney and skin. The Gamma Knife can control 85 -90% of metastatic brain tumors and has the advantage of being noninvasive. Occasionally, chemotherapy is used as well.

Spinal Tumors frequently arise from cancer of the lung, breast, kidney and other organs. Surgical management of these tumors can often provide significant pain relief and can preserve the cancer patient’s neurological functioning and quality of life.

RPCI neuron-surgeons perform surgery to remove spinal tumors and reconstruct the spin that has been damaged by them.

Patients with brain and spine tumors often need a combination of therapies. Roswell Park Cancer Institute provides diagnosis, treatment and monitoring all in one location.

For more on specific cutting-edge technologies mentioned about, please click on links at left.