Division of neurosurgical oncology

Dr. Lee Tumor Glow Picture 2

The neurosurgeons within our division of neurosurgical oncology at Penn Medicine are consistently considered some of the top surgeons in the country. From the extremely high volume of patients, the ground-breaking techniques being established, and the extraordinary research done by our scientists; Penn Neurosurgery's division of neurosurgical oncology simply stands above the rest. Our multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors provides better outcomes through advanced treatment, surgical techniques, post-operative care and clinical trials. This comprehensive approach is what allows us to be the leader of brain tumor surgery, performing the highest number of cases in Pennsylvania.

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We treat all types of brain tumors

  • Extra-axial: Tumors that arise on the surface or undersurface of the brain (skull base), and press on the brain are called extra-axial. They are often encapsulated and can frequently be cured by surgery alone or a combination of surgery with focal radiation therapy. This type of tumor includes pituitary tumors, meningiomas, epidermoid (cholesteatomas) and acoustic neuromas.
  • Glioma: Tumors that arise from within the brain that are derived from the connective tissue of the brain are gliomas. The glial cells "glue" the brain cells (neurons) together. These tumors do not spread outside of the brain, but invade within the brain, and are difficult to cure by surgery alone. These tumors include low-grade gliomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, glioblastomas, oligodendrogliomas and anaplastic oligodendrogliomas.
  • Metastatic: Tumors that migrate or metastasize to the brain are the most common type and are called metastatic. The source of this type of tumor can be a cancer of the lung (non-small cell lung carcinoma or small cell carcinoma), breast, colon, skin (melanoma) or kidney (renal cell carcinoma). Almost any type of cancer can spread or metastasize to the skull or brain. These tumors are often treated with a combination of surgery and/or radiation therapy. Advances in surgery (neuronavigation, computer-assisted microsurgery) and radiation therapy (CyberKnife®, Gamma Knife®, proton therapy) provide several options for achieving tumor control without injuring the surrounding brain.