Comprehensive brain tumor care in Chicagoland
When you or a loved one are diagnosed with a brain tumor, you want the best care. And when you choose Ascension Illinois for your care, you get a multidisciplinary team led by experienced neurosurgeons. Here, we prioritize early intervention and personalized treatment. We have the expertise to diagnose and treat even the most rare and complex brain tumors using surgical and non-surgical treatments, including Gamma Knife®. Your neurosurgeon works with a team of specialists and is part of a national team of doctors, sharing best practices, knowledge and research. Your care will start with a face-to-face conversation, and together we’ll create a care plan that’s right for you.
Neurosurgeons and care teams at Ascension Illinois diagnose and treat brain tumors, including:
- Acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma (tumor on the vestibular or cochlear nerves)
- Astrocytoma (cancer in the brain or spinal cord)
- Brain metastases or metastatic brain tumors (cancer that has spread to the brain)
- Choroid plexus carcinoma (a rare, cancerous brain tumor)
- Craniopharyngioma (a rare, noncancerous brain tumor)
- Ependymoma (a tumor that begins in the brain or spinal cord)
- Glioblastoma (a fast-growing, cancerous tumor in the brain)
- Glioma (a brain or spinal cord tumor that forms in the glial cells)
- Hemangioblastoma (tumors that grow in the cells that line the blood vessels in the brain)
- Medulloblastoma (a brain tumor in the cerebellum)
- Meningioma (a tumor in the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord)
- Oligodendroglioma (a tumor in the brain or spinal cord)
- Pediatric brain tumors
- Pineoblastoma (a rare cancer that forms in the brain's pineal gland)
- Pituitary tumors (growths in the pituitary gland)
A destination for non-invasive brain surgery
Experienced neurosurgeons at Ascension Illinois use Gamma Knife to perform incisionless radiosurgery. Gamma Knife is not actually a knife – it uses a single high dose of precisely focused radiation to target tumors, while avoiding the surrounding healthy tissue. Gamma Knife may be an option for patients with benign (non-cancerous) conditions:
- Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)
- Brain lesions
- Brain tumors (cancerous and non-cancerous)
- Chordoma (tumor on the base of the skull and spine)
- Metastatic brain tumors
- Movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Vestibular schwannoma
This treatment is non-invasive, painless, and is typically done in a single outpatient visit, with patients returning to their everyday activities in two to three days.
A leader in brain tumor care
Your care team may include neurologists, neurosurgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and neurosurgery-trained nurses. This team works together with you and for you. Every appointment by listening to you. Your doctor takes the time to answer your questions. If you have a brain tumor, you may need radiation therapy, surgery, or both. All the dots for your care will be connected, and your care plan may include:
Imaging: Specialists at Ascension Illinois use advanced imaging to diagnose and monitor brain tumors. 3D brain imaging is also used to monitor your progress during radiation therapy to see the size of your tumor.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-powered X-rays to target and destroy brain tumor cells. This treatment may be given before surgery to help reduce the size of tumors.
Surgery: Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive procedures to remove brain tumors. With minimally invasive procedures, few or no incisions are used. This may lead to less pain and a shorter recovery time. Our neurosurgeons also offer GammaTile® implants, which are surgically targeted radiation therapy implants for brain tumors.
Rehabilitation: After surgery, you are connected to rehabilitation specialists at Ascension Illinois, we deliver a wide range of therapy to help you recover after surgery.
Get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon at Ascension Illinois
Get the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and care plan are right for you. It's easy to get a second opinion at Ascension Illinois. We can review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and discuss options. Talk with one of our neurosurgeons about a personalized care plan.
When you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor and are deciding on a care plan, there’s a lot to think about. We can discuss both therapeutic or surgical treatment plans. Our team of highly experienced neurosurgeons can provide you with a second opinion, based on experience and as part of a national team of specialists.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records from your doctor on your behalf, so that they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
Refer a patient to a brain surgeon
Your patients can expect compassionate, personalized care from the moment our specialists connect with them. Our neurosurgeons start by listening to fully understand your patient’s needs and to develop an individualized care plan. To make a doctor's referral, please call.
CALL – 847-981-3630 – NORTHWEST
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