Brain & spine tumors
Comprehensive neuro-oncology care
The sensitive locations of malignant brain or spinal tumors present a unique treatment challenge. At Advocate Brain & Spine Institute, you can count on our expert neuro-oncologists and multidisciplinary team to deliver the highly skilled care to address these complex conditions. Both our adult and pediatric patients benefit from leading-edge treatments, including the latest radiation therapies to target tumors with extreme precision.
Through every phase of care, we focus on managing your symptoms and addressing any concerns to promote your quality of life and overall wellbeing.
Tumors we treat
We provide skilled care for cancerous and noncancerous brain and spinal tumors, including:
- Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
- Astrocytoma
- Ependymoma
- Glioblastoma
- Meningioma
- Oligodendroglioma
- Spinal cord tumors
- Spinal column tumors (primary and metastatic)
- Peripheral nerve tumors
Symptoms & risk factors
Other than exposure to radiation, there are no specific known causes of brain and spinal cancer, so prevention isn’t an area of concern. Knowing the persistent symptoms to watch for can ensure you get evaluated by a physician earlier and, if needed, put you on the fast track to treatment.
Common signs include:
- Headaches, changing in frequency or severity
- Nausea or vomiting, with no explained cause
- Vision, speech, hearing or balance problems
- Loss of sensation in limbs or extremities
- Confusion or personality changes
- Seizures, especially if you have no history of them
- Back pain, especially if it radiates from other body parts or is worse at night
- Loss of organ function, particularly bowel or bladder
- Difficulty walking, or falling
- Loss of sensitivity to pain heat or cold
Detection & diagnosis
While there are no early screenings programs for brain or spinal cancer, Advocate offers a full range of diagnostic testing, from bloods tests and biopsies to the most sophisticated imaging technology available. Options include:
- Advanced MRI: The latest, painless imaging such as functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as well as 3Tesla MRI, which produces incredibly detailed images to detect even the smallest brain and spinal tumors. It’s also extremely efficient and accurate, which means shorter exam times and a faster diagnosis.
- CT or CAT scan: Combines multiple X-rays and computer technology to produce detailed images of the brain and spine.
- PET scan: Including Time-of-Flight PET/CT, offering higher image quality to detect masses and lesions with greater accuracy.
- Magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Noninvasive test for measuring biochemical changes in the brain, especially the presence of tumors.
- Lumbar puncture: Looks for cancer cells in the fluid in and around your brain and spinal cord.
Treatments & therapies
Some tumors are cured with surgery alone, but frequently, a combination of treatments are needed to achieve the best outcome. Depending on the type, size and location of tumor, your personal treatment plan may include:
Advocate’s skilled neurosurgeons use advanced technologies to optimize the surgical care for your brain or spine condition. We are one of the only providers in Chicago to offer the intra-operative MRI (iMRI) system, which captures real-time images of the brain before, during and after surgery. This allows for a more complete removal of the tumor and other abnormalities.
Our radiation oncologists use the latest radiation techniques to deliver powerful, highly precise treatment to tumors, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. These include:
- 3D conformal radiation therapy
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
- Radio isotope injections
- RapidArc
- TomoTherapy
If the tumor requires treatments other than surgery and/or radiation therapy, your neuro-oncologist will help determine the best medical therapies to use. That may include chemotherapy, which uses powerful medicines to shrink a tumor before surgery, kill cancer cells that remain in the body after surgery or radiation, or treat tumors that have developed in other areas.
Other options may include:
- Targeted therapy: Works to block specific genes and proteins that allow cancer cells to grow, while limiting damage to healthy cells.
- Immunotherapy: Uses newer medicines to help your own immune system find and destroy cancer cells.
In addition to our current treatments, Advocate also offers ongoing cancer clinical trials, right here at home. These studies give you or your loved ones direct access to promising new cancer therapies, devices and medications before they are widely available.
We’re committed to caring for the whole you, and providing the resources you and your loved ones need to manage a cancer diagnosis. You’ll find a full range of free or low-cost cancer support services – from education to rehabilitation, nutritional to spiritual counseling, support groups and more empowering programs.
Nina Paleologos, MD
An internationally recognized pioneer in treating adults with brain and spinal cord tumors, Dr. Nina Paleologos leads the neuro-oncology team at the Advocate Brain & Spine Institute.
- Top Doctor by U.S. News and Castle Connelly for many years
- Named a Top Cancer Doctor by Chicago Magazine in 2017
- Earned the Chicago Neurological Society’s Career Achievement Award
- Principal investigator on multiple clinical trials
- Pioneered every FDA-approved treatment available for malignant glioma
Need a second opinion?
Getting a second opinion is an important step to ensuring you receive the best possible care. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists can help you:
- Confirm your diagnosis
- Review a treatment plan
- Recommend alternate options
- Offer clinical trial opportunities
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