Some tumors cannot be removed. In such cases, the doctor may do only a biopsy. A small piece of the tumor is removed so that a pathologist can examine it under a microscope to determine the type of cells it contains. This helps the doctor decide which treatment to use. Radiation therapy uses x-rays to kill cancer cells from the outside and shrink tumors.
Chemotherapy uses drugs that travel through the body to kill cancer cells.
The procedure that Dr. Greene received on this week's episode is one of the new procedures for treating brain tumors. A great concern during any operation on the brain is how can to best preserve the person's level of functioning. This becomes especially important when an abnormality, such as a brain tumor, lies close to an area of the brain that controls speech or movement. By having the patient awake during critical parts of the operation, vital functions, such as speech and movement, can be monitored continuously. Functional mapping ensures that the outer edges of the operation will not overlap areas of the brain that control speech and movement.