Brain tumors are any type of abnormal growth of cells in the brain, which may or may not be cancerous, but can grow and put pressure on parts of the brain, causing personality, hearing, and hormonal changes, as well as seizures, balance difficulties, and headaches.
CT and MRI scans, as well as biopsies, will help your doctor diagnose such a tumor and determine how to treat it. Treatment usually includes surgery.
Our neurosurgeons perform the most advanced, patient-friendly, and microsurgical techniques, offering new hope to patients' inoperable brain tumors or brain tumors previously thought to be untreatable. We also offer CyberKnife® treatment, a noninvasive stereotactic radiosurgery option, for acoustic neuromas and skull base tumors.
Glioma
Nearly 80 percent of all cancerous brain tumors are gliomas, although not all gliomas are cancerous. Symptoms may include:
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Memory loss
- Physical weakness or loss of muscle control
Glioma tumor treatments
Our specialists work together to determine the best approach to your care, taking into account your tumor’s location, cell type, grade of malignancy (the rate at which your tumor grows and spreads), and your personal health and circumstances.
MedStar Health Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center
A brain tumor diagnosis can be an overwhelming experience for patients and families. MedStar Health’s newly opened Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center, based at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, provides diagnostic and treatment services though a full complement of medical disciplines focused on neuro-oncology. Adding to our medical team’s expertise is access to the industry’s most advanced technologies—all under one roof.
Metastatic tumor
Metastatic brain cancer is cancer that has spread to the brain from the part of the body where it first started. Metastatic tumors are often hard to treat because the cells that start the new tumors may no longer match the original tumor cells. Cancers that commonly spread to the brain are lung, breast, skin, colon, and kidney cancers.
These types of brain tumors are often challenging to treat. That’s why we offer comprehensive, advanced treatments that can help you survive longer and improve the quality of your life.
Skull base tumors
The “skull base” is a part of the head. It would be better named the “brain base” because it refers to the gap between the bottom of the brain and the part of the skull directly below it. Within the skull base are all the blood vessels that supply the brain with nutrients and oxygen, as well as nerves that are critical to functions such as vision, smell, hearing, facial movement, and breathing.
Our providers
Expert oncology care
Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our oncologists.