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What is a Neuro-Oncologist?
A neuro-oncologist is a physician who has either trained in oncology or neurology, who
then does additional training in the treatment of brain tumors as well as the complications
of cancer treatment because cancer treatment can have a profound effect on the brain and
the nerves.
What I do is I help to coordinate the treatment options and I will sent a patient to a surgeon
because I think they may need additional surgery or send the patient to radiation because further
radiation may be beneficial.
For patients who have cancer in the brain itself, cancer of the brain, I will be one
of the main drivers of what options of therapy get presented to them.
For people who have cancer elsewhere, I may raise concerns with their primary oncologist
that a proposed treatment is going to have some untoward side effects
that we want to try and avoid.
What is a Tumor Board?
A tumor board is a multidisciplinary group of physicians and other healthcare providers
such as nurses, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, that meet on a regular
basis to discuss individual patient cases and options for care that those individual
patients have. It allows us to get a diversity of opinions, from people who may not be involved
in that patient’s care but who may know of something, that may be beneficial or who
may know of a barrier, to that patient getting the care they require and help us find ways
around it.
I become involved in tumor boards very frequently particularly for the brain cancer tumor board,
however, I have been involved in tumor boards for other types, when it is required, when
I am asked and when I think that I can have an important role in helping them any way
when cancer affects the nervous system.
Brain tumor patients need a village. They really need a group of people dedicated to
them and not just physicians, but nurses, social workers, physical, occupational and
speech therapists and I think that Leigh Valley provides all of that for our patients.
(610) 402-CARE LVHN.org