When you suffer a brain injury, experience a condition like a stroke or multiple sclerosis, or undergo brain radiation, you may develop reactive gliosis or necrosis.

Necrosis is the death of cells. Unfortunately, necrosis cannot be reversed, but some treatments can stop necrosis from spreading to other cells.

Gliosis occurs when your body creates more or larger glial cells (cells that support nerve cells). These new glial cells can cause scars in your brain that impact how your body works.

Though they are not brain tumors, necrosis and gliosis can cause symptoms similar to brain tumors.
Symptoms may include:

• Depression
• Hallucinations
• Memory loss or impairment
• Personality changes
• Seizures
• Trouble with cognitive function

The experts at the Brain Tumor Initiative provide treatment options for reactive gliosis and necrosis. Using advanced care, they work to shrink gliosis scarring and stop necrosis to improve brain function.

Tests

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
An MRI is an imaging scan of your brain that uses no radiation but creates a highly detailed image of your brain.

Treatments

Steroid Medicines
Steroid medicines may help slow the growth of gliosis or reduce its size.

Anticoagulant Medicines
Anticoagulant medicines (blood thinners) can help slow the spread of necrosis.

Surgery
A neurosurgeon may be able to remove necrotizing cells during brain surgery. They may use different techniques, including open brain surgery or minimally invasive brain surgery to remove cells and prevent the spread of necrosis to other cells.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Necrosis may occur because cells are not receiving enough oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps your cells receive more oxygen and helps them heal.

Clinical Trials
At the Brain Tumor Initiative, we provide access to the latest experimental treatments through clinical trials. New treatments for reactive gliosis are currently under investigation and could help improve your condition.

Why Choose Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center?

Sylvester is an NCI-designated cancer center. The National Cancer Institute has recognized Sylvester for its outstanding work conducting research in its laboratories, treating patients in its clinics and hospitals, and reaching out to medically underserved communities with innovative prevention strategies.

Groundbreaking brain tumor treatment. Experts from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and UHealth make up one of the largest and most complete teams for brain tumor treatment in the United States. Through multi-disciplinary cooperation, our team employs innovative procedures like awake craniotomies, Gamma Knife® radiosurgery, and many other techniques. We use the least invasive neurosurgical techniques on both adults and children, which reduces recovery time and makes a significant difference in your quality of life.

Dedicated brain tumor experts. Your care team consists of specialized physicians and researchers who are committed to brain tumor care. Your team may include neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists, neuropathologists, and other physicians who focus solely on treating brain tumors. Their years of experience and expertise help you find the right treatment for you.

Innovative research that changes the future of brain tumor care. As the only academic medical center in the area, we are on the cutting edge of brain tumor treatment and research. As a patient, you also have access to the innovative research and the latest in clinical trials. Our ongoing translational and clinical research has spawned promising treatments like the heat shock protein vaccine and targeted therapies designed for your specific type of brain tumor.

International leaders in brain tumor care. We play a vital role in the community, thanks to our groundbreaking research and patient care for people in Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. We’re turning Miami into the healthcare capital of the Americas. We’re creating one of the premier brain tumor centers in the country.

Surgical expertise. We perform thousands of brain tumor surgeries every year and care for more brain tumors than any other health center in Florida. Our skilled neurosurgeons are consistently pioneering new treatments. From minimally invasive spine surgeries to awake craniotomies, we offer unique surgeries you cannot find anywhere else in the region.

Concierge service. Our patients do not have to figure it all out alone. You are assigned a concierge coordinator who is there for you and your family while you are in our care. They connect you with other providers you may need, walk you through the surgery process, and can answer any questions you or your family may have.