The Brain Tumor Center offers treatment for brain and spinal cord tumors in both adult and pediatric patients.

We currently care for more than 2,000 patients from all over the world.

There are several types of brain tumors, such as intrinsic tumors (located within the brain itself) and skull base tumors (at the junction of spinal cord and brain stem).

Learn more about intrinsic, skull base, and pediatric tumors.

Different tumors require different treatment options. 

Treatment Options

Surgery

Surgery can be used either to diagnose a tumor or to partially remove a tumor.

Widely spread, invasive tumors extending into areas of the brain that affect vision, movement, sensation, or speech are often best diagnosed using a stereotactic biopsy, in which a specialized computer is used to direct the biopsy needle to the necessary area.

Radiographic imaging may be used to identify tumors that can be removed via surgery. If the tumor is located near an area that is negatively affecting movement, sensation, or speech, those functions can be monitored throughout surgery using the imaging techniques. This way, more of the tumor can be removed while limiting the effect on the brain.

Immunotherapy and Genetic-based Therapy

Always at the forefront of cancer research, Duke is presently treating several types of brain cancer with immunotherapy techniques that are designed to fight the malignant brain tumor cells while sparing normal brain cells. This type of treatment is very promising and clinical trials are ongoing.

Duke is also creating genetically engineered cancer vaccines. These may be one of the many treatment options with which your cancer care team will present you, thanks to Duke’s strong commitment to bringing experimental therapies out of the lab and into clinical use.

Chemotherapy

New chemotherapeutic agents of greater efficacy and lower toxicity have led to cures in testicular and other cancers. Drugs of great promise are being developed to treat brain tumors. Our current research focuses on the mechanisms by which tumors become resistant to chemotherapy and ways to reverse this resistance. Several clinical trials are in progress.

Radiation Therapy, Radiosurgery, and Fractionated Radiotherapy

Using computer-simulated, three-dimensional images, Duke’s Department of Radiation Oncology will carefully plan your radiation treatments so as to maximize effectiveness, while minimizing damage.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Adamson, Cory
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Bonner, Melanie J.
  • Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences / Medical Psychology
  • Pediatrics / Duke Child and Family Studies
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Desjardins, Annick
  • Medicine / Neurology
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
  • Pediatrics / Neuro-Oncology
• Friedman, Allan H.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Friedman, Henry S.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
  • Pediatrics / Neurosurgery
  • Pediatrics / Neuro-Oncology
• Fuchs, Herbert E.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
  • Pediatrics / Neurosurgery
• Grossi, Peter M.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Gururangan, Sridharan
  • Pediatrics / Neuro-Oncology
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Kirkpatrick, John P.
  • Radiation Oncology / Radiation Oncology
• Raynor, Renee H.
  • Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences / Medical Psychology
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Reardon, David A.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
  • Pediatrics / Neuro-Oncology
• Sampson, John H.
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery
• Vredenburgh, James J.
  • Medicine / Medical Oncology
  • Surgery / Neurosurgery

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710
• Duke University Hospital
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710
• The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center
  200 Trent Drive, 047 Baker House, Durham, NC 27710