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Brain Tumors

APEX Spine and Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery & Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery located in Bethlehem, Columbus, and Suwanee, GA.

The idea of having a brain tumor is understandably scary, but having a tumor doesn't automatically mean you have cancer. If you have symptoms that you’re worried might be due to a brain tumor, the highly skilled neurosurgeons at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery in Alpharetta, Bethlehem, Columbus, and Suwanee, Georgia, can provide you with a prompt and accurate diagnosis. They also offer expert surgical and medical treatment for brain tumors. Call one of the offices today to schedule a consultation, or book an appointment online.

Brain Tumors Q & A

What kinds of brain tumors are there?

Brain tumors, also called or intracranial tumors, take more than 150 forms, although many are very uncommon. Some are benign (noncancerous), while others are malignant (cancerous).

Primary brain tumors that originate in your brain rarely spread outside the skull, while metastatic brain tumors spread to your brain from cancer in other parts of your body.

The most common benign (noncancerous) brain tumors are meningiomas. Other benign brain tumors include schwannomas, which affect the protective nerve coverings, pituitary adenomas on the pituitary gland, and acoustic neuromas, which affect the nerve in your ear that helps you hear and keep your balance.

The most common type of malignant brain tumors are gliomas. They account for the vast majority of brain cancers, with others like ependymomas representing less than 3% of all brain tumors. Glioblastoma multiforme is a malignant brain tumor that grows more quickly than other types.

What symptoms might brain tumors cause?

Some of the more widespread symptoms many brain tumors cause include:

  • Headaches
  • Seizures
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Dizziness
  • Personality changes
  • Vision or hearing problems
  • Difficulty thinking clearly
  • Speech and language issues
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • One-sided weakness


The precise symptoms any brain tumor causes depends on what part of your brain the tumor is affecting.

What treatments are available for brain tumors?

After diagnosing your brain tumor and evaluating its size and location, the Apex Spine and Neurosurgery team prepares a personalized treatment plan suited to your unique needs.

The exact contents of your treatment plan could vary a great deal, but there are three key approaches to treating brain tumors: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

Surgery

The Apex Spine and Neurosurgery team is very experienced in the surgical treatment of brain tumors. During surgery, they aim to remove all or as much of the brain tumor as possible. However, it's not always possible to take out every part of the tumor if there's a risk of damaging part of your brain.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs kill actively growing cells, and as cancer cells typically grow continually, it can be a very effective therapy. Unfortunately, the drugs also kill normal, healthy cells as well as cancer cells, so chemotherapy can cause some distressing side effects.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy using high-energy X-rays kills brain cancer cells too. One of the advanced techniques now available is stereotactic radiosurgery, where your Apex Spine and Neurosurgery physician uses a CT scan or MRI scan to deliver a targeted dose of radiation directly into the brain tumor.

As well as being experienced surgeons, the team has expert skills in using chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat brain tumors. Their group served as moderators on the only neurosurgery tumor board in Gwinnett County. 

If you're worried about symptoms that could be linked to a brain tumor, call Apex Spine and Neurosurgery today or book an appointment online.

 

Fax Number for all locations: (678) 963-5307