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Brain Tumor Center | | -
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A COMPREHENSIVE BRAIN TUMOR
CENTER
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The
shrug of a shoulder, the memory
of a holiday, the pleasure of
a warm shower on a cold day —
each of these experiences depends
on the brain, the least understood
organ in the human body. Brain
tumors, depending on their location,
interfere with specific functions
controlling movement, retrospection
and sensation, and may have drastic
effects on the lives of patients
and their families. In the past,
the prognosis for people diagnosed
with brain tumors has been poor,
but now interdisciplinary collaborations
at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Cancer Center are identifying
new therapies that give hope for
longer and improved lives. |
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The
traditional treatment for brain tumors
involves a combination of surgery, radiation
and chemotherapy. In our Cancer Center,
experts retain these established approaches
while working with specialists across
different departments to incorporate
the most recent technological advances
and newest drugs. With the aid of precise
imaging to define tumor size and shape,
our surgeons are able to extract tumors
with as little harm to nearby normal
tissues as possible. In many cases,
they can remove growths in complex areas
of the brain through minimally invasive
procedures. This approach dramatically
shortens recovery time. The “sharpshooter”
of radiation treatment — proton
beam therapy — attacks cancer cells
with a high-energy beam that minimizes
the effect on healthy tissue. The Cancer
Center operates one of only five proton
beam facilities in the country and has
the only one in New England. |
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Tracy
T. Batchelor, MD, MPH
Executive Director |
Jay
S. Loeffler, MD
Chief, Department of
Radiation Oncology |
Robert
L. Martuza, MD
Chief, Neurosurgery Service |
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Brain
tumors produce symptoms because of their
size, location and ability to cause
swelling in adjacent normal tissue.
We are evaluating innovative treatments
designed to shrink brain tumors and
the accompanying swelling, thus facilitating
surgery, alleviating symptoms, and enhancing
the effectiveness of traditional chemotherapy
drugs. In this issue of Synergy, our
researchers and clinicians report on
the beneficial effects of a new medication,
AZD2171, which reduces both brain tumors
and the associated tissue swelling. |
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Many
new brain tumor treatments are being
tested at the Cancer Center, and many
of them are only available at select
locations around the country. We aim
to bring the best of these new treatments
to our patients at the Massachusetts
General Hospital Cancer Center as quickly
as possible. |
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Advancing
the Specialized Care of Individuals with Brain
Tumors
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MGH
Brain Tumor Center
Yawkey Building 9th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
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Patients
& Families with questions about referrals, consultations
or appointments may contact:
Telephone: 617.724.8770
Fax: 617.724.8769
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Physicians
with
questions may contact:
Tracy Batchelor, M.D.
Executive Director,
MGH Brain Tumor Center
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| MassGeneral.org |
| MGH
Cancer Center |
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