The Business of Brain Tumors


Book Description

How Do You Build a High Volume Medical Practice? In 2010, the University of Miami Hospital (UMH) was a newly acquired academic hospital that had seldom performed brain tumor surgeries. Yet by 2018, UMH had become the flagship hospital for one of the busiest brain tumor programs in the country. How did such rapid growth in surgical volume occur in such a short time and in such an intensely competitive market? Using the UMH experience as a case study in rapid practice growth, we aim to highlight the techniques we used to expand our practice so that other neurosurgeons and other surgical providers can follow suit. These pearls for excelling at the business of medicine are typically neglected during medical school, residency, and fellowship, but they are critical for career success. It has almost become taboo for physicians and surgeons to openly acknowledge the business side of the equation. This glaring lack is what inspired us to write this book. Despite our emphasis on the so-called "business side" of medicine, the strategies in this book are genuinely geared towards improving patient care. The ultimate goal is producing a high volume physician--such a surgeon develops a vast clinical experience that generally leads to more favorable outcomes. This book will teach you how to: Achieve superior clinical outcomes Encourage collaborations with referring physicians Expand your practice's catchment area Use social media to grow your practice Create a culture of excellence in your hospital to take better care of patients Become a leader and influencer in your hospital Prepare for a high-volume career during training Master coding and medical documentation for brain tumor surgeries Transform your program into a center of excellence Take a look at the first pages of the book by clicking on the Look Inside feature.




Navigating Life with a Brain Tumor


Book Description

Navigating Life with a Brain Tumor is a guide for anyone affected by brain tumors and their associated conditions-patients, family members, friends, and caregivers. Providing readily accessible information and real-world encouragement to people living with primary and metastatic brain tumors and their caregivers, this book discusses the basics of brain tumors, types of tumors, management of different tumors, related symptoms, treatments and side effects, the role of medical team members, and coping strategies from initial diagnosis throughout the course of the illness. At the same time, it also offers practical suggestions on symptom management and lifestyle modification, as well as real-life anecdotes and advice from both patients and family members and friends who are experiencing this diagnosis.




Neuropathology of Brain Tumors with Radiologic Correlates


Book Description

This highly illustrated book explores the pathological and radiological diagnosis of various brain tumors. Featuring nearly 500 high-quality colored images, it covers MR images, intra-operative squash cytology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry microphotographs of various brain and spine tumors, including differential diagnosis, as well as the molecular diagnosis and prognosis of each tumor. The book also presents case studies of typical and rare presentations, and introduces readers to a new procedure for intra-operative cytology: the modified fields stain, which stains the slide within 2 minutes, allowing quick, accurate reporting. This book uses concise text and a consistent point-wise format that makes reading and reviewing easy. The radiological and pathological correlates of brain and spine tumors serve as a ready-reference resource for residents, surgical and neuropathologists, neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists and research scientists.




Brain Tumors in Children


Book Description

This book is a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of all aspects of brain tumors in children. After introductory chapters on the epidemiology of brain tumors, the book will provide readers with state-of-the art chapters on the principals of radiation therapy, neurosurgery and neuroimaging. Subsequent chapters discuss the biology and treatment of specific types of brain tumors. The concluding chapters present critical information relevant to survivorship, neurocognitive and other late effects, and the global challenges to better diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors in children. This book is co-authored by experts in the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. All of the authors are internationally recognized authorities and they offer an evidence-based consensus on the biology and treatment of brain tumors. This handbook has far-reaching applicability to the clinical diagnosis and management of brain tumors in children and will prove valuable to specialists, generalists and trainees alike.




Living with a Brain Tumor


Book Description

Each year, 100,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a brain tumor. With his new book, Dr. Peter Black fills a gap in the lay readership, providing an accessible medical resource for adult patients and their families. Dr. Black, who has operated on more than 3,000 patients with brain tumors, is uniquely qualified to discuss both clinical treatment of and research into brain tumors. This invaluable resource tells patients everything they need to know to understand and address their diagnosis, in a four-part structure: • "What is a Brain Tumor?" provides straightforward information about how brain tumors are diagnosed, the different types of tumors and how they develop, and where to go for treatment. • "Coping with Shock" addresses the emotional impact of the diagnosis on the patient and their family, offering specific advice on support groups and how to managing work and finances during your treatment. • "Treatment options" outlines the complex array of available treatments in a sequential, logical, and thorough manner, enabling readers to make informed decisions. • "Recovery" describes how to deal with the aftermath, addressing issues ranging from physical scars to speech and occupational therapy. Dr. Black believes that more than half of brain tumor cases can be resolved with relatively minor side effects or none at all. Equipped with this informative book, patients and their family and friends can learn how to fight brain tumors effectively, putting them on the path to wellness.




Animal Models of Brain Tumors


Book Description

Although the available models, whether at the cellular, tissue, or animal level, do not exactly represent the biology of human brain tumors, animal models can offer significant insights into these tumors, providing a better understanding of biological mechanisms underlying tumor generation, growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Animal Models of Brain Tumors brings together developments and discoveries in “in vivo” experimental tumor research that have provided advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the generation, progression, and clinical outcome of brain neoplasms. Broken into convenient sections, this thorough volume includes topics such as animal model insights into human brain neoplasms, the cellular, molecular, and genetic basis of brain tumors, therapies in the treatment of malignant glioma, as well as imaging technologies in animal tumor models, i.e. measuring brain tumor growth and metabolism. Written for the popular Neuromethods series, chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is essential for achieving successful results. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Animal Models of Brain Tumors provides the key methods needed to validate, compare, and contrast the animal model with its proposed human counterpart and further the understanding of our own serious ailments.




Controversies in Neuro-Oncology


Book Description

Because of tremendous advancements in research, neurosurgical oncology has become increasingly complex, and it is imperative that physicians have scientific evidence to guide and defend their decision making as they strive to provide the best patient care. Controversies in Neuro-Oncology: Best Evidence Medicine for Brain Tumor Surgery, written by world-renowned experts, is a comprehensive guide that compiles, synthesizes, and summarizes the most relevant scientific literature available in neurosurgical oncology. It provides objective recommendations based on the data found in the literature, giving physicians the information they need to make fully informed treatment decisions. Key Features: An opening chapter, Introduction to Best Evidence Medicine, illustrates how the authors rate the viability of the data presented Authors discuss in detail commonly disputed topics specific to tumor type, such as the roles of surgery and gross total resection as well as radiosurgery options Expert recommendation boxes highlight "takeaways" for the reader Summary tables distill abundant scientific evidence and emphasize the main conclusions of published studies This book will be the go-to guide for all neurosurgeons, oncologists, and neurologists involved in the multidisciplinary care of patients with brain tumors.




Tumor Neurosurgery


Book Description

Tumor Neurosurgery provides information on the basic knowledge and clinical management required for optimal care of neurooncology patients. Providing an up-to-date synopsis of the field of tumor neurosurgery, the book covers the most common sites and tumor pathologies encountered by neurosurgeons. The chapters are organized under broad topics, including investigative studies, perioperative care and the role of newer techniques. The clinical management of CNS tumors in adults and children is described, including spinal tumors, both intradural and extradural. This book provides coverage of relevant topics in the field of tumor neurosurgery, for residents and registrars in training, and for recent graduates of training programs.




Glioblastoma:


Book Description

Glioblastoma is the most malignant brain tumor that still remains incurable. It is such a deadly disease that patients do not survive more than a few months after diagnosis. Our understanding of the histopathology and molecular mechanisms of formation of glioblastoma is rapidly advancing so as to provide us clues for devising rational therapeutic strategies for treatment of this malignancy. It is important that we continue to improve our knowledge about the pathogenesis of this devastating disease and explore new areas to find successful therapeutic strategies. Various approaches such as sophisticated imaging techniques, improved surgical procedures, ground-breaking strategies for radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, chemoimmunotherapy, and photodynamic therapy are being used for eradicating glioblastoma. Hopefully, this book will be an important source of information on glioblastoma and therefore be highly useful to the students, postdoctoral fellows, principal investigators, and clinicians involved in this field.




The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind


Book Description

In the tradition of My Stroke of Insight and Brain on Fire, this powerful memoir recounts Barbara Lipska's deadly brain cancer and explains its unforgettable lessons about the brain and mind. Neuroscientist Lipska was diagnosed early in 2015 with metastatic melanoma in her brain's frontal lobe. As the cancer progressed and was treated, she experienced behavioral and cognitive symptoms connected to a range of mental disorders, including dementia and her professional specialty, schizophrenia. Lipska's family and associates were alarmed by the changes in her behavior, which she failed to acknowledge herself. Gradually, after a course of immunotherapy, Lipska returned to normal functioning, amazingly recalled her experience, and through her knowledge of neuroscience identified the ways in which her brain changed during treatment. Lipska admits her condition was unusual; after recovery she was able to return to her research and resume her athletic training and compete in a triathalon. Most patients with similar brain cancers rarely survive to describe their ordeal. Lipska's memoir, coauthored with journalist Elaine McArdle, shows that strength and courage but also an encouraging support network are vital to recovery.