MultiCare Health System

Neurological Cancer

Brain tumors are diseases in which cancer (malignant) cells begin to grow in the tissues of the brain. Tumors that start in the brain are called primary brain tumors.

Neurological Cancer Treatment

There are a number of different conventional treatment options used to treat brain tumors. The extent of the cancer and general state of health are all influential factors in determining the most appropriate treatment combination. You and your physician will determine what treatment options are best for you. 

Surgery is the most common treatment for tumors that can be reached surgically. If the tumor cannot be removed in its entirety without damage to the surrounding tissue, radiation or chemotherapy may be used to treat the remaining cancer cells.

Full Body Stereotactic Radiosurgery
MultiCare is the first health system in the South Puget Sound region to offer image-guided, stereotactic linear accelerator treatment, on the Varian® Trilogy System, for treating cancers and other appropriate conditions. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a form of radiation therapy that uses 3-D computer imaging to attack tumors and lesions with an extremely precise dose of radiation. Linear accelerators offer potential advantages to some patients over other stereotactic radiosurgery technologies such as the Gamma Knife, notably the ability to treat tumors throughout the entire body, not just those in the brain.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is the most advanced form of radiotherapy. IMRT employs a powerful, advanced computer program that plans a precise dose of radiation in three dimensions based on individual tumor size, shape and location. Remarkably, it allows for radiation doses up to 40 percent higher than traditional radiotherapy methods, while sparing close to 70 percent more of the surrounding healthy tissue.

In addition to the therapies described above, MultiCare offers complementary and alternative therapies such as nutritional therapy, physical therapy and emotional counseling. Our physicians and staff are with you every step of the way in your cancer journey.

To learn more about the treatment that’s right for you, call the MultiCare Regional Cancer Center at 253-403-2346 or the Dr. Richard C. Ostenson Cancer Center at 253-697-HOPE.

They can help you choose the next step that's right for you.