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A multidisciplinary team of more than 80 experienced specialists from the specialties below work closely to diagnose and treat patients with brain tumors.
A patient will usually see several Mayo Clinic specialists who work in coordinated fashion to provide the high-quality, integrated care for which Mayo Clinic is known. When appropriate, the patient's problem and case history may be presented and discussed at a multidisciplinary tumor board meeting to determine the best treatment plan.
Most patients' initial visit is with a neurologist who has expertise and additional training in neuro-oncology. This physician generally serves as the "quarterback" for a patient's care, coordinating testing and specialists' appointments and developing a plan of care. The neuro-oncologist will also counsel the patient about neurologic issues, such as seizures, cognitive difficulties and headaches. Combined experience in neurology and oncology permits neuro-oncologists to treat the tumor and care for the brain in which that tumor resides. This is important not only in the treatment planning, but in helping to optimize quality of life.
Brain surgery is the primary treatment in most brain tumors. Mayo Clinic neurosurgeons are highly experienced, performing thousands of brain surgeries each year. Mayo neurosurgeons pioneered the use of computer-assisted surgery to accurately and safely remove brain tumors. These techniques reduce the size of the incision, protect critical brain structures, and diminish anesthesia time and hospital stay for patients. In some cases, tumors can be removed using lasers or endoscopic techniques. Innovative techniques such as gene therapy also are available under research protocols.
Computer-assisted techniques are also used to deliver postoperative radiation therapy. This precise delivery system reduces the need for whole-brain radiotherapy, thus minimizing side effects of radiation, including dementia.
Radiation oncologists use high-energy X-rays, electron beams, or radioactive isotopes to kill cancer cells. The key to successful treatment is focusing the appropriate amount of radiation to the tumor while limiting radiation exposure to surrounding normal tissues. Radiation oncologists at Mayo Clinic specialize in treating just a few types of cancer to ensure that patients receive care from someone highly skilled at treating their specific condition.
Some of the services provided by radiation oncology include:
Medical neuro-oncologists manage chemotherapy or biologic therapy, as well as medical disorders arising from the tumor or related treatments. A careful and compassionate approach is the motto of the medical neuro-oncology health care team of physicians, nurses and case manager/social workers.
Identifying the patient's type of cancer is crucial to providing appropriate treatment. Studies have shown that the diagnosis may change substantially for at least one-third of patients when pathological review is performed by an experienced neuropathologist compared to a general pathologist. Mayo Clinic pathologists are world renowned for their diagnostic skill. Mayo pathologists analyze tissue not just for Mayo patients, but for patients from around the world whose specimens are shipped to Mayo Medical Laboratories for analysis.
Researchers at Mayo helped create the first classification system for brain tumors (Kernohan System) and later added a new classification system, the St. Anne-Mayo system, which was adopted by the World Health Organization.
Mayo Clinic radiologists perform well over 1 million diagnostic tests each year. A group of more than 40 neuroradiologists specialize in imaging of brain tumors. Mayo has every tool available for this purpose, including PET scanners, CT and MRI scanners (including intraoperative MRI) and special technologies which can image not only the anatomy of the tumor, but also the physiology and chemistry. These images are crucial to guiding neurosurgery or radiation treatments, or deciding about other treatment options.
At Mayo, access to other services, including supportive care, counseling, neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric services, brain rehabilitation and pain management, are readily available, whenever needed. Physician staff are supported by an experienced and dedicated neurosurgical, neuro-oncology and radiation oncology nursing staff.
Tom R. Fitch, M.D.
Mark K. Lyons, M.D.
Naresh Patel, M.D.
Thomas V. Colby, M.D.
Jennifer J. Bortz, Ph.D.
Dona E. Locke, Ph.D.
David Osborne, Ph.D.
Brian W. Chong, M.D.
Geoffrey P. Fletcher, M.D.
Joseph M. Hoxworth, M.D.
Kent D. Nelson, M.D.
Ameet C. Patel, M.D.
Steven E. Schild, M.D.
Sujay A. Vora, M.D
Kurt A. Jaeckle, M.D.
Dennis Dickson, M.D.
John Lucas, Ph.D.
Beth K. Rush, Ph.D.
Christopher D. Sletten, Ph.D.
Daniel F. Broderick, M.D.
Leo Czervionke, M.D.
Jon Dalton, M.D.
Amy Kotsenas, M.D.
David A. Miller, M.D.
H. Gordon Deen, M.D.
Kent C. New, M.D.
Eric W. Nottmeier, M.D.
Ronald Reimer, M.D.
Robert Wharen Jr., M.D.
John D. Earle, M.D.
Laura Vallow, M.D.
Neuro-Oncology Nurse and Coordinator
Anna Willson, R.N.
Clinical Research Coordinator
Bryan Courtney
Jan C. Buckner, M.D.
Evanthia Galanis, M.D.
Randolph Marks, M.D.
Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
Ravi Rao, M.B.B.S.
Terrence L. Cascino, M.D.
Julie E. Hammack, M.D.
Daniel H. Lachance, M.D.
Brian Patrick O'Neill, M.D.
Joon H. Uhm, M.D.
Caterina Giannini, M.D.
Bernd Scheithauer, M.D.
Joseph Parisi, M.D.
Fausto Rodriguez, M.D.
John Atkinson, M.D.
Dudley H. Davis, M.D.
William E. Krauss, M.D.
Giuseppe Lanzino, M.D.
Michael J. Link, M.D.
W. Richard Marsh, M.D.
Fredric B. Meyer, M.D.
David G. Piepgras, M.D.
Bruce E. Pollock, M.D.
Robert J. Spinner, M.D.
Paul Brown, M.D.
Yolanda I. Garces, M.D.
Nadia Laack, M.D.
Paula Schomberg, M.D.
Scott Stafford, M.D.
Mark M. Bahn, M.D., Ph.D.
Norbert G. Campeau, M.D.
Harry J. Cloft, M.D., Ph.D.
David R. DeLone, M.D.
Bradley J. Erickson, M.D., Ph.D.
Glenn S. Forbes, M.D.
Julie R. Gilbertson, M.D.
John Huston III, M.D.
Clifford R. Jack Jr., M.D.
Peter Kalina, M.D.
David F. Kallmes, M.D.
Kejal Kantarci, M.D.
Timothy J. Kaufmann, M.D.
Michael J. Kiely, M.D.
Kelly K. Koeller, M.D.
Amy L. Kotsenas, M.D.
Karl N. Krecke, M.D.
John I. Lane, M.D.
Edward P. Lindell, M.D.
Patrick H. Luetmer, M.D.
Paul F. McGough, M.D.
Gary M. Miller, M.D.
Jonathan M. Morris, M.D.
Alice C. Patton, M.D.
John D. Port, M.D., Ph.D.
Charlotte H. Rydberg, M.D.
Kara M. Schwartz, M.D.
Kent Thielen, M.D.
John T. Wald, M.D.
Robert E. Watson Jr., M.D., Ph.D.
Kirk M. Welker, M.D.
Robert J. Witte, M.D.
Christopher P. Wood, M.D.
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