When cancer appears in the brain and spinal cord—the core of your central nervous system—you want the most experienced, compassionate, positive-thinking and problem-solving medical team at your side. At Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, part of the Sutter Health network, you have access to neurology specialists, neuro-oncologists, and highly trained nurses who provide personalized care that’s at the forefront of brain and spinal cord medicine.
Our compassionate approach tends to your whole being, not just your disease. From day one of your diagnosis, we partner with you and your family by coordinating services, offering education, answering questions, listening and providing counseling and hope. We offer a special Spine Oncology Program that helps you and your family determine the best course of treatment for your spinal tumor or tumors. The program brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts who work with you to form a plan for optimal management of your condition.
We take special care of our youngest patients and can refer you to Sutter Children’s Center and the Sutter Neuroscience Institute in Sacramento. These programs combine resources to provide your little one with truly exceptional care for brain and spinal cord cancer. Our highly regarded department regularly receives referral patients from the National Brain Tumor Foundation and Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
Better Treatments for Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors
Your tumor may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Either type can destroy nearby healthy tissue, so you and your doctor will discuss biopsy options and treatments to reduce it (called tumor debulking) or remove it.
Sutter Neuroscience Institute is one of about 20 health centers in California using the NICO Myriad® device, a tool that helps neurosurgeons remove hard-to-reach brain and spinal tumors through much smaller incisions. This means shorter and more successful surgeries, particularly for tumors deep inside the brain. In addition, surgeons in the Sutter Health network practice brain mapping by using a variety of imaging technologies to learn as much as possible about a tumor (size, shape, location) before and during surgery in order to minimize damage to surrounding tissues.
