Brain & Spine Tumor Care

The experts at the EvergreenHealth Neuroscience Institute are specialized in diagnosing and treating brain and spine tumors. Our providers are by your side through every step of your care journey.

You need individualized care for your diagnosis, and our team provides this level of dedication to help you achieve the highest quality of life.

Diagnosing Brain & Spine Tumors

Brain and spinal cord tumors are defined as abnormal masses or uncontrolled growths of cells in the brain or spinal cord.

These tumors can arise from the brain, spinal cord, nerve roots, or surrounding structures, such as the bones or dura, and can be a result of spreading from other locations in the body.

It is important that symptomatic brain and spinal cord tumors be treated as early as possible. We use sophisticated diagnostic technology to provide you with an accurate diagnosis.

Brain and spinal cord tumors are diagnosed in various ways, including:

• Physical and Neurological Exam: A physician checks general health, mental status, power, sensation, reflexes and coordination.
• Blood Tests: Check for hormone changes caused by pituitary or pineal gland tumors.
• Imaging: CT scans, MRI studies, myelogram (to evaluate structures with abnormal anatomy, spread along nerve roots or because of difficulty assessing anatomy by MRI due to previous spinal hardware), and/or angiogram (used to assess tumor-related blood vessels and to possibly reduce the blood flow to tumors through catheter interventions)
• Investigational Imaging: Including magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography (PET). These newer imaging tests can detect tumors, sometimes earlier than other types of imaging. They can also help measure how the tumor is responding to treatment.
• Biopsy: A sample of tissue is removed for evaluation by our neuropathologists. A biopsy helps to confirm the diagnosis of a brain or spinal tumor.
• Spinal Tap (lumbar puncture): To look for cancer cells in cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord.

Brain & Spine Tumor Treatments

Cancer specialists from EvergreenHealth as well as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center come together to thoroughly discuss your diagnosis and the best treatment strategy, which may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy.

The main goal in brain tumor surgery is to maximize tumor removal while minimizing pain and neurologic deficits.

Surgery

If surgery is recommended, our neurosurgery, neuroradiology and neuropathology experts work together in real-time to provide the best care. A variety of sophisticated tools also enhance the precision and safety of brain cancer surgery and allow for the removal of tumors that may otherwise have been inoperable, while preserving neurologic function. We are the only location on the Eastside offering laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) intervention.

These tools include:

• Intraoperative Neuro-Navigation: Uses an advanced MRI system to map areas of the brain responsible for important functions. The map then allows us to precisely plan surgery to help avoid damage to those important areas.
• Intraoperative electrophysiology "brain mapping" (also called motor mapping and language mapping): This is like GPS for the brain. We use small electrodes placed on the outer layer of the brain to stimulate the brain and areas around the tumor. This helps us locate regions of the brain to avoid, such as those responsible for speech or movement.

Surgical techniques include:

• Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy: This technique can destroy tumors while preserving surrounding brain tissue.
• Endoscopic (Neuroendoscopy): A minimally invasive surgical technique in which the neurosurgeon removes the tumor through small holes (about the size of a dime) in the skull or through the mouth or nose.
• Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery: This method offers faster recovery times and a lower risk of complications compared to traditional open surgery. In these procedures, the surgeon operates through a very small incision, which gives them direct access to the tumors while ensuring minimal scarring.
• Craniotomy: Remove a portion of the skull to access and remove the tumor. After the tumor is removed, the surgeon may replace the pieces of the skull and will close the wound.
• Skull Base Surgical Techniques: This procedure allows our neurosurgeons to operate on tumors located near the base of the skull while preserving vital brain and brain stem functions.

Radiation Therapy

We offer the most advanced types of radiation therapy, including:

• External beam radiation therapy, which uses a machine to direct high-energy beams at the tumor with pinpoint accuracy. This is the most common type of radiation therapy.
• Internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy), which delivers radiation into or near the tumor through the placement of radioactive pellets, wires or catheters.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery, which uses focused beams of radiation (either gamma rays, protons or X-rays) to target and destroy cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

Doctors may deliver chemotherapy locally to the brain during surgery, utilizing medications to target and destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells. The medications may be given orally, intravenously or via injection. Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with other therapies to treat cancer.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy is a cancer treatment that uses medications to target specific genes and proteins that are involved in tumor cell growth. This type of therapy helps slow uncontrolled growth and reduce the production of tumor cells. Targeted therapies include oncogenes, growth factors and molecules aimed at blocking gene activity.