A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain or spine that can disrupt proper brain function.

Primary brain tumors are those tumors that start in the cells of the brain. Primary brain tumors may spread to other parts of the brain or to the spine, but rarely to organs outside of the nervous system. These include:

• Meningioma
• Pituitary adenoma
• Vestibular schwanna
• Glioblastoma
• Astrocytoma
• Primary central nervous system lymphoma

Metatastic brain cancer, also called secondary brain cancer, occurs when cancer cells spread to the brain from a primary cancer elsewhere in the body. This type of brain cancer is 10 times more common than primary brain tumors. Although brain metases can develop from almost any kind of cancer, those originating in the lung, breast, colon, and kidney, along with malignant melanoma, are the most like to meastasize in the brain.

About half of patients with brain metastases have more than one tumor in the brain.

Tests

Neurological Exam
Your doctor may perform a neurological exam to test balance, vision, and other aspects of your child’s brain health. These tests can help determine if your child may have a brain tumor.

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
A CT scan is an X-ray of the brain that doctors can view in individual slices to identify any tumors.

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

Lumbar Puncture
During a lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap), the physician takes a sample of cerebrospinal fluid using a needle placed into the spine. The fluid is checked in a lab for cancer cells.

Treatments

Surgery
A pediatric neurosurgeon will try to remove as much of the tumor as possible during surgery.

Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy
Precisely aimed radiation therapy can shrink tumors by destroying tumor cells. Your child may need multiple radiation therapy treatments for effective care.

Gamma Knife^® Radiosurgery
During Gamma Knife^® radiosurgery, multiple weak beams of radiation are pointed at your child’s brain tumor. Where all the beams meet, there is strong radiation. Your child may need only one radiosurgery treatment to destroy ependymoma tumor cells.

Clinical Trials
At the Brain Tumor Initiative, we provide access to the latest experimental treatments through clinical trials. These treatments give your child additional treatment options if their cancer does not respond to other treatments.

Why Choose Us?

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 at UHealth, 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. Patients do not have to figure it all out alone at UHealth. Patients 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.