Neuro-Oncology Program Our Services
Patients of the Neuro-Oncology Program have access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options available. Supportive care is also available through the CompleteLife Program whose staff compassionately support and educate our patients by tending to the emotional, social and spiritual needs of our patients.
Diagnostic Tools
Brain and nervous system tumor diagnosis may be aided by one or more of the following tools:
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PET scanning to take detailed pictures of the body to look for cancer cells
- stereotactic needle biopsy to remove a sample of abnormal tissue with a needle, guided by a scanning device, for examination under a microscope
Therapeutic Options
Treatment options for brain and nervous system tumors include one or more of the following, based on the most current treatment recommendations and the needs of the patient:
- state-of-the-art neurosurgery to remove cancer and sometimes surrounding healthy tissues from the brain, spine, and other parts of the nervous system
- three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, guided by a computer-generated three-dimensional picture of the tumor, to give the highest possible dose of radiation, while sparing the normal tissue as much as possible
- stereotactic radiosurgery to very specifically target radiation to the tumor
- chemotherapy to kill cancer cells with drugs
IU Simon Cancer Center patients have access to all standard treatment therapies and, for those who qualify, state of the science clinical trials for care options not yet available elsewhere. Information is also available about ongoing clinical studies elsewhere in the United States.