Brain Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment

The brain tumor experts at UC San Diego Health include dedicated neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuro-oncologists, neuroradiologists, and neuropathologists to help develop and implement your specific treatment plan.

Our Comprehensive Services

Neurological evaluations, MRI, Restriction Spectrum Imaging, and MRI-guided biopsy for definitive diagnoses
Consultations with neuro-oncologists to develop your treatment plan
Rapid referral to other specialists
A Brain Tumor Board that reviews cases and develops a coordinated management plan
Molecular and genetic testing to analyze tumors and tailor cancer treatments

Our Treatment Options

Optune™, a portable device that uses alternating electric fields to treat glioblastoma
Neuroblate™ laser ablation therapy to treat tumors using laser light energy
MRI-guided laser technology
Surgery, including techniques developed at UC San Diego Health.
Proton therapy, which uses a high-energy beam of protons to target and irradiate tumors
Stereotactic radiosurgery, a form of high-precision, high-dose radiation therapy
Drug therapy
Access to clinical trials investigating the latest immunotherapies and vaccine therapy as well as traditional methods

Conditions We Treat

The most common conditions we treat are:

Glioma
Glioblastoma (including astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and oligoastrocytoma)
Brain metastases

We also treat the following more rare conditions:

Acoustic neuroma
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
Cavernous malformations
Craniopharyngioma
Ependymoma
Germinoma
Medulloblastoma or primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)
Meningioma
Pineal tumors
Pituitary tumors

Online Second Opinions

If you've received a diagnosis that requires neurosurgery and would like one of our neurosurgeons to review your X-rays and other imaging studies, UC San Diego Health offers online imaging reviews. It's an easy and affordable way to help you make an informed decision before neurosurgery. For more information, see Online Second Opinions.