Neuro-Oncology

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Neuro-Oncology Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center offers comprehensive, patient-centered treatment of cancers of the brain and spinal cord, as well as cancer-related neurological disorders.

UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center – the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in North Texas – provides the most advanced treatments available for brain and spinal cord tumors, as well as a wide range of patient-care services. Our team of physicians and support staff is devoted to the health and well-being of each patient, blending leading-edge cancer research with expert conventional cancer care to provide the best possible outcomes.

What Is Neuro-Oncology?

Neuro-oncologists at UT Southwestern specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spinal cord, as well as tumors and other cancer-related neurological disorders of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Why Choose UT Southwestern for Neuro-Oncology?

We provide complete care for brain tumor patients by collaborating with a patient care team to make real-time decisions and allow for better access to clinical trials.

We bring together physicians and health care providers from other fields, such as:

We partner with pediatric neuro-oncologists at Children’s Health in Dallas to manage pediatric CNS tumors diagnosed in adult patients. We also work with the Cancer Genetics Program at UTSW’s Simmons Cancer Center to provide neurologic screening to patients who test positive for genetic cancer syndromes.

What Conditions Does Neuro-Oncology Treat?

Conditions our neuro-oncologists treat include:

Acoustic neuromas
Astrocytomas
Choroid plexus tumors
Craniopharyngiomas
Glioblastomas
Ependymomas
Low-grade gliomas
Meningiomas
Neurofibromatosis
Neoplastic meningitis
Neurologic complications of cancer
Oligodendrogliomas
Paraneoplastic syndromes
Pineal gland tumors
Primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas
Spinal cord tumors (primary and metastatic)

What Should Patients Expect During Treatment?

UT Southwestern is equipped with the latest diagnostic tools. The rapid advancement of imaging techniques and technologies has enabled our specialists to determine the location, shape, and size of brain and spinal cord tumors with an unprecedented level of precision.

Imaging services include:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): The Mary Nell and Ralph B. Rogers Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center provides state-of-the-art MRI and spectroscopy services for our patients with cancer.
2-Hydroxyglutarate (HG) MRI: 2-HG MRI is a novel imaging technique specifically for isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutated gliomas.
Diagnostic imaging clinical trials: In collaboration with UT Southwestern’s Advanced Imaging Research Center (AIRC), we offer a number of diagnostic research trials to evaluate new imaging techniques to detect brain tumors, including magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and arterial spin labeling (ALS).
Positron emission tomography (PET): This scanning technique enables imaging of metabolic processes occurring in the body and brain. Besides providing a valuable tool for early detection and diagnosis of cancer, PET also provides a way to predict whether tumors will respond to various forms of cancer treatment and can help physicians measure how responsive tumor cells have been to treatment.

UT Southwestern’s MRI and PET facilities are among the most advanced in the nation and enable us to provide patients with the best possible medical care.

Treatment for neurologic cancers or cancer-related conditions can include diagnostic imaging, surgery, stereotactic and conventional radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Physicians formally meet once a week on a multidisciplinary neuro-oncology tumor board to discuss each patient’s condition, determine the best treatment approaches, and coordinate the ensuing care.

Our clinicians and researchers are nationally recognized leaders in the development and use of radiation therapies to precisely target brain and spinal cord tumors while sparing surrounding tissues.

What Support Services for Neuro-Oncology Does UT Southwestern Offer?

A dedicated nurse navigator helps guide patients through their care at the Neuro-Oncology Clinic and Radiation Oncology Clinic and keeps the lines of communication open.

The team provides counseling for emotional support and guidance to patients and their families. We offer additional support for home care services, information for patient and caregiver support groups, psychosocial assessments, and assistance with transitions-of-care planning.

What Clinical Trials Are Available for Neuro-Oncology?

The Neuro-Oncology Program is sponsored in part by the Annette G. Strauss Center for Neuro-Oncology, whose focus is basic-science and clinical research that will improve treatments for patients with tumors of the central nervous system.

Through UT Southwestern’s membership in the North American Brain Tumor Consortium, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, patients can participate in innovative clinical trials aimed at advancing our knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of neurological tumors. These trials potentially enable patients to receive superior therapies with fewer side effects, often years before they become available to the public.