Innovative Treatments and Technology

UVa is home to some of the most advanced technologies for the treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors, including:

• Clinical trials
  UVa has an active clinical trials program, with many clinical trials developed by UVa researchers and physicians. We participate in many National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trials.  Additionally, because we see many patients with brain tumors, we have access to the newest and most promising pharmaceutical company trials as well.  Our partners in clinical trials include Harvard, Mayo Clinic, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.   
• Expertise in chemotherapy for gliomas, brain lymphoma, and meningiomas
  Since brain tumors account for only 1-2% of all cancer, most oncologists have little familiarity with their management.  UVa's neuro-oncologists, Drs. Schiff and Purow, exclusively see patients with neuro-oncologic disorders and are up to date on the full spectrum of standard and experimental strategies.  This expertise allows us to offer promising therapies that are unavailable through clinical trials and that are unfamiliar to most general oncologists.  Such approaches include bevacizumab (Avastin) for high-grade gliomas and the use of chemotherapy as the initial treatment of low-grade gliomas.
• Gamma Knife (stereotactic radiosurgery)
  UVa is an international training site for the Gamma Knife, a powerful instrument designed to direct exquisitely precise radiation to tumors in the brain without performing brain surgery. UVa has one of only two Gamma Knives in the state, and UVa physicians pioneered the use of this technology.
• Molecular cytogenetics
  a specialized technique helps to predict prognosis and to determine which brain tumors will respond best to chemotherapy.
• PET/CT
  an advanced imaging system is capable of finding some tumors before they are visible on more traditional systems. It is also useful in differentiating tumor from radiation damage.  UVa had the first PET/CT scanner in Virginia.
• Pituitary surgery
  UVa has renowned experts in the field of pituitary surgery, performing more of these procedures than any other center in the world.
• A multidisciplinary, team approach
  Our entire neuro-oncology team, including neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists, neuroradiologists, neuropathologists, neuropsychologists, and nurses, meets regularly to discuss each case in which there is a range of therapeutic approaches to determine the optimal one for the individual patient.