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Neuro-Oncology

Providing Compassionate Care for Patients with Central Nervous System Cancer

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with cancer of the central nervous system (CNS), the expert cancer care team at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center is here to help. Working closely with specialists from University Hospitals Neurological Institute's Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center, our compassionate and skilled team understands each patient’s needs and concerns. A nationally recognized cancer program, UH Seidman Cancer Center has proven expertise in both standard and complex care for CNS cancers.

Your health is important. Make an appointment today.

Offering in-person, video and telephone visits. Call today
to see which option is right for you. 216-844-3951
Learn more about virtual visits

What Is Central Nervous System Cancer?

CNS cancer refers to diseases in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the brain and/or spinal cord. Cancer cells are abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and continually due to the absence of the normal regulatory controls that keep cell division in check. Cancer cells either form solid tumors or flood the bloodstream.

Unlike benign (noncancerous) tumors of the brain and spinal cord, malignant (cancerous) brain tumors and spinal cord tumors are likely to grow rapidly and can spread into other parts of the brain. When a tumor grows into or presses on a part of the brain, it can prevent that part from functioning the way it should. Cancerous tumors that originate in other parts of the body and spread (metastasize) to the brain or the spinal cord are known as metastatic CNS tumors. The causes of most adult brain and spinal cord tumors is not well-understood.

Comprehensive Cancer Center

Tiffany Hodges, MD visits a brain cancer patient Learn more about brain surgery treatment with Tiffany Hodges, MD.

UH Seidman Cancer Center is part of the National Cancer Institute-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, one of an elite group of 51 comprehensive cancer hospitals nationwide. Our team offers you the opportunity to receive the most advanced medical therapies for central nervous system cancer, including those that may not be available at other local or state facilities. Among our advance treatments are:

  • Minimally invasive surgery, including endoscopic techniques
  • Neuroblate®
  • Gamma Knife®
  • Varian Edge™
  • Targeted chemotherapy
  • Leading-edge clinical trials
  • Gene Therapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Fluorescent Guided Resection (FGR)
  • Laser interstitial Thermotherapy (LITT)
  • Proton therapy
  • Intraoperative MRI

Our fellowship-trained team of doctors evaluates and reviews every cancer case so that diagnosis, treatment and management decisions are always based on the combined knowledge of a distinguished multidisciplinary team of experts. Together, we work through every step of cancer care, always with the ultimate goal of getting the patient healthy and active again.

Cancer Clinical Trials

UH Seidman Cancer Center has many available clinical trials for patients with CNS cancer. Clinical trials are conducted to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatments. For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice.

Learn More About Our Available Clinical Trials

Multidisciplinary Team

Just as each patient is unique, we believe that CNS cancer treatment should be customized to fit the individual. In our multidisciplinary approach to care, our cancer doctors, nurses and support staff collaborate and coordinate every step of your care. At UH Seidman Cancer Center, the patient is always at the center of a compassionate, highly trained team of experts, which includes:

  • Genetic counselors
  • Medical geneticists
  • Medical oncologists
  • Nurse navigators
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Pathologists
  • Radiation oncologists
  • Radiologists
  • Social workers
  • Surgical oncologists

National Multifaceted Team Reviews Each Case

Our multidisciplinary cancer team meets weekly for a disease-specific tumor board review. Tumor board review involves a meeting where every patient’s case is read and discussed among an entire team of national experts to guide the cancer care treatment plan. This review process ensures that all realistic treatment options are considered.