Neurological and Spine Institute
Conquering Cancer Together
Brain & Spinal Tumor Program Overview

Riverside’s brain & spinal tumor specialists deliver expert care for patients with malignant and benign brain tumors, using the latest medical, surgical, and radiation technologies. Our comprehensive team of neurosurgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses, therapists and medical physicists collaborates closely to guide each patient through a personalized treatment plan. Riverside is proud to lead the region in clinical excellence and patient-centered outcomes.

Leading the region in neuro-oncology for over 20 years
Why choose Riverside for your Brain or Spinal Tumor Care

  • Exceptional Precision & Advanced Technology: With brain and spinal tumors, precision is everything. We have 20 years of radiosurgery expertise with sub-millimeter accuracy treating tumors of the brain and spine with state-of-the art technology.
  • Multidisciplinary Expertise: Your care is reviewed by a dedicated brain tumor board of experts who collaborate on your individual treatment plan.
  • Academic Medical Center Collaboration Close to Home: Our radiosurgery program works in collaboration with both UVA Health and Chesapeake Regional Healthcare.
  • Two Outstanding Programs: In our Brain & Spinal Tumor program, you access the best of both the Riverside Neurological & Spine Institute as well as the Riverside Cancer Care Network. We’re conquering cancer. Together.

Riverside Radiosurgery Center

“Knifeless” Surgery Using State-of-the-Art Radiation Technology

Learn More About Riverside Radiosurgery
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Discover how Gamma Knife® Radiosurgery at Riverside offers precise, noninvasive treatment for brain tumors and metastatic lesions at the Newport News location.

Stereotactic Body Radiosurgery (SBRT)

Learn more about how Stereotactic Body Radiosurgery (SBRT) using the Varian Edge™ technology is used to target spinal tumors and metastatic lesions at both the Newport News and Williamsburg locations.

Brain Tumors We Treat Include:

The Brain & Spinal Tumor Team

You’re in Good Hands

Collaboration between specialists is one of the key components of Riverside's Brain Tumor Program. With weekly meetings between the specialties to discuss individual cases, patients can focus on healing instead of coordinating their care.

Neurosurgery

Experts in surgeries of the brain, spine and nervous system, these surgeons also work with Gamma Knife patients needing radiosurgery.

Medical Oncology

Experts in managing the medicines to treat cancer, our medical oncologists will work with you to identify the best regimen for your specific needs. With cancer centers in Newport News, Gloucester, Williamsburg, Onancock, Suffolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, there is a convenient location near you if chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy are a part of your treatment plan.

Radiation Oncology

Experts in treating cancer with targeted radiation, our specialists, in partnership with medical physicists, create intricate plans for therapy while minimizing the side effects. With radiation therapy centers in Newport News, Williamsburg, Gloucester and Onancock and the Radiosurgery Center in Newport News and Williamsburg, our team is there for you.

Additional Specialists

The team goes beyond surgery, chemo and radiation. Supporting those clinicians are pathologists, radiologists, ENTs, endocrinologists, patient navigators, nursing specialists and more.

The Challenge of Chemotherapy for Brain Tumors

Understanding the Impact of the Blood Brain Barrier

Chemotherapy is not usually the first treatment option for brain tumors because of the blood-brain barrier—a protective network of cells and blood vessels that shields the brain from harmful substances penetrating the brain tissue through the blood. While this barrier plays a vital role in maintaining the brain during times of good health, it also blocks many chemotherapy drugs from reaching tumor cells, as they good with tumors in other areas of the body. This limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy for brain tumors. For this reason, surgery and radiosurgery are the first options for brain tumors. Both directly target the tumor and are not hindered by the brain’s natural defenses.

Getting the Treatment to the Tumor

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