Services
The Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for Neuro-Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, the top third nationally ranked hospital in the US, is a multidisciplinary center dedicated to the care of adults with tumors of the nervous system as well as neurological complications of cancer. Our Center is committed to the development and implementation of an individualized treatment plan that encompasses the latest treatments available in surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to ensure the best possible outcome.

The Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for Neuro-Oncology is a collaborative clinical and research effort involving the Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology and the Cancer Center.  The center is able to bring together outstanding researchers and clinicians from these departments in order to optimize care for patients with brain tumors.  The Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery are consistently ranked as one of the top 3 departments in the United States by U.S. News and World Report magazine.

Services include:

• Initial evaluation of new patients in the Neuro-Oncology Clinic. This clinic is attended by neuro-oncologists, neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists.
• Close relationship with the Cranial Base Program that treats various cranial base tumors.
• Close communication with referring physicians both in diagnosis and treatment, as well as in long-term follow-up
• Neuropathological consultations regarding central and peripheral nervous system tumors
• Neuropathological diagnosis of brain tumors through the examination of molecular features called "molecular fingerprinting." Read More >
• Collaborations with related centers including the Brain Tumor Center , Neurogenetics Clinic, and Neuroendocrine Center
• As a founding member of the New Approaches to Brain Tumor Therapy (NABTT) Consortium, and an active participant of The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), a national cancer study research group, and both sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, we are able to offer the latest and most promising treatment approaches to patients with brain tumors.

Advanced Treatments

• Proton beam therapy for certain types of CNS tumors at the Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center offers precise radiation with the goal of sparing vital brain and spinal cord regions.
• State-of-the-art care through the use of the most advanced technologies including stereotactic radiotherapy or radiosurgery
• Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)
• 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for use in certain types of CNS tumors
• Image guided neurosurgery including intraoperative MRI and intraoperative CT scanning 
• The latest in imaging modalities such as PET and functional MRI, through the Department of Radiology to enhance treatment planning abilities
• Access to new treatments through a large number of clinical trials involving multiple types of brain tumors.
• Neuropathological consultations from the leading specialists in the field.

Support & Coping
Because brain tumors can impact a patient’s quality of life and place stress on the entire family, we believe that high-quality care should encompass the whole patient by addressing physical and psychological needs.

To find information on the upcoming Brain Tumor Support Group, education workshops, and wellness services, please view the HOPES calendar.