Brain Tumor Surgery

The Yale Brain Tumor Surgery Program and the Neurosurgical Oncology Program provides comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis, leading edge treatment options, thorough follow-up and compassionate, psychosocial support for individuals with all types of brain tumors. All patients are welcome, whether they are newly diagnosed or have already received extensive treatment elsewhere. 

The patient is the focus of all of the diagnosis and treatment skills Yale's interdisciplinary team of specialists brings to the service. A team of experts dedicated to caring for patients with brain tumors, including specialized brain tumor surgeons, radiation oncologists, neuroradiologists, medical neuro-oncologists, neuropathologists and others, meet weekly at a Tumor Board Conference to arrive at the most advanced and appropriate treatment plan for each individual. In addition, Yale is one of the few centers capable of offering even more personalized and precise oncologic care, when appropriate, based on the genetic make-up of the individual’s tumor.

The state-of-the-art Neurosurgical operating rooms in Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Hospital are the only of its kind in the region to offer intraoperative MRI, intraoperative angiography, stereotactic surgical guidance and operative brain mapping. These technologies combined with the surgical expertise of physicians specialized in performing brain tumor surgery provide the best in surgical care for patients. Because of Yale's research mission, our practitioners are well acquainted with the most advanced treatment methods and access to clinical trials. Patients also benefit from the specialized resources at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale-New Haven Hospital, such as an advanced neurological intensive care unit (NICU) with a dedicated ICU team, as well as the latest imaging technologies.

Calls from referring physicians, patients or their families are handled by experienced clinical care coordinators. These coordinators ensure that appropriate appointments are made quickly, with new patients with brain tumors being seen in the neurosurgical oncology clinic of the Smilow Cancer Hospital within a few days. The care coordinators also serve as the patient's liaison with the various medical specialists who are involved in each treatment plan.

Specialized Yale brain tumor surgeons maintain a close working relationship with physicians practicing in the community. They welcome referrals and readily offer opinions, supplying physicians with regular reports on diagnostic findings, treatment recommendations and patient outcomes. For more information and to make an appointment.