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Adult Brain Tumors
Learn about the most common types of adult brain tumors as well as how they are graded to help doctors determine the best course of treatment.
Pediatric Brain Tumors
With a specialized pediatric brain tumor program, Florida Hospital is the only Children’s Oncology Group (COG) program in central Florida. Learn more about how our doctors can help your child beat brain cancer.
Spine & Spinal Cord Tumors
Tumors in and around the spine and spinal cord aren’t as common as brain tumors, but they do occur. The majority of spinal cord tumors are found in children and young adults, but anyone can be diagnosed with a tumor at any point in their life.
Surgery
Printer-friendly versionBrain Tumor Surgery
Of course, one of the surest ways to deal with a brain tumor is to remove it completely. Tumors that are near the surface and easily accessible can be relatively easy to remove. However, certain locations, such as those near sensitive locations in the brain, may not be good candidates for surgery.
Whenever possible, surgeons with the Florida Hospital Brain and Spinal Cancer Program will attempt to remove the entire tumor that is visible using surgical techniques. If the tumor is benign, usually no further treatment is necessary. If it is malignant, other treatment options, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, may be applied to the successfully treat the tumor.
If a tumor can't be removed because of its location or type, then it may be "debulked," which means reducing the tumor's size. This is often the case when the tumor has invaded surrounding tissue. At this point, removing the entire tumor is difficult, because of its involvement with other tissues. Debulking can alleviate the tumor's symptoms or lessen the pain. It can also reduce the tumor's size to a level where other treatments can be brought into play.
Neurosurgeons at the Florida Hospital Brain and Spinal Cancer Program will discuss with you the best surgery options for your specific cancer diagnosis. If possible, the surgeons may use minimally invasive techniques which minimize your hospital stay, recovery time and pain after surgery.