A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain or the central spinal canal that can be cancerous or benign. Learn more about brain tumors and how Illinois CyberKnife's noninvasive treatment may work for you.

1. 1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

2. A
brain
tumor
diagnosis
can
be
scary.
Learn
more
about
brain
tumors
and
how
we
can
help.
Please
note:
We
encourage
consumers
to
thoroughly
review
and
understand
all
treatment
op8ons.
The
informa8on
presented
here
is
not
all-­‐inclusive.
Rather,
it
represents
a
star8ng
point
to
learn
more
about
medical
condi8ons
and
treatment
op8ons.
There
is
no
subs,tute
for
consul,ng
a
medical
professional.
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

3. 1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

4. What
is
a
brain
tumor?
A
brain
tumor
is
an
abnormal
growth
of
cells
within
the
brain
or
the
central
spinal
canal
that
can
be
cancerous
or
benign.
Brain
tumors,
even
malignant
ones,
are
not
necessarily
fatal.
However,
any
brain
tumor
should
be
considered
a
serious
health
condi;on.
Brain
tumors
can
be
primary
(origina;ng
in
the
brain
or
spinal
cord)
or
metasta<c
(origina;ng
in
another
part
of
the
body
and
spreading
to
the
brain).
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

5. What
are
symptoms
of
a
brain
tumor?
• Headaches
• An
impaired
sense
of
touch,
hearing,
• Vomi;ng
vision
or
smell
• Vision
problems
• Personality
or
emo;onal
changes
• Altered
states
of
consciousness
• Weakness
on
one
side
of
the
body
or
• Impaired
judgment
facial
paralysis
• Speech
and
language
impairment
• Memory
loss
• Lack
of
recogni;on
• Abnormal
fa;gue
• Tremors
or
epilep;c
seizures
• Spa;al
orienta;on
disorders
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

6. What
types
of
brain
tumors
exist?
• Acous<c
Neuroma:
A
benign,
slow-­‐growing
tumor,
acous;c
neuromas
affect
the
seventh
and
eighth
cranial
nerves
in
a
part
of
the
brain
known
as
the
cerebellar-­‐pon;ne
angle.
• Brain
Metastases:
A
brain
metastasis
is
a
brain
tumor
that
develops
from
cancer
cells
that
spread
from
another
cancerous
tumor
in
the
body,
usually
through
the
bloodstream.
• Glioma:
A
glioma
is
a
class
of
tumor
that
develops
from
glial
cells
in
the
brain
that
support
and
protect
neurons.
Astrocytes,
ependymal,
and
oligodendroglial
cells
are
all
examples
of
glial
cells.
Includes:
Astrocytoma,
Glioblastoma
Mul;forme,
Glioma,
Oligodendroglioma.
• Meningioma:
A
benign
tumor
located
on
the
brain
surface
rather
than
within
brain
;ssue.
• Pituitary
Adenoma:
Located
at
the
base
of
the
skull,
the
pituitary
gland
serves
as
the
body’s
control
center
for
hormones.
Pituitary
adenomas
are
slow-­‐growing,
benign
tumors
within
the
gland.
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

7. 1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

8. How
does
CyberKnife
treat
brain
tumors?
CyberKnife
has
the
ability
to
treat
acous;c
neuromas,
brain
metastases,
gliomas,
meningiomas
and
pituitary
adenomas
with
stereotac;c
radiosurgery.
The
treatment
process
includes:
I. Consulta;on
appointment
II. Pretreatment
procedures
III. CyberKnife
treatment
IV. Follow-­‐up
Unlike
some
radiosurgery
systems,
the
CyberKnife
doesn’t
require
an
invasive
head
frame.
Other
radiosurgery
systems
are
capable
of
high-­‐dose
radia;on
treatment
with
a
variety
of
radia;on
sources.
However,
some
use
a
metal
frame
aTached
to
the
pa;ent’s
skull
with
screws
that
immobilize
the
head
to
accurately
target
the
tumor.
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

9. Consulta<on
and
Pretreatment
Procedures
The
Illinois
CyberKnife
physicians,
therapists
and
nurses
are
focused
on
your
individualized
treatment
plan
to
determine
whether
CyberKnife
is
right
for
you:
• You
will
meet
an
Illinois
CyberKnife
radia;on
oncologist
to
decide
if
CyberKnife
treatment
is
appropriate
for
your
diagnosis.
• Your
CyberKnife
team
will
decide
which
pretreatment
procedures
you
may
need
to
help
develop
your
treatment
plan.
These
could
include
a
CT
scan,
an
MRI,
laboratory
studies,
or
;ssue
markers.
• The
data
from
your
pretreatment
procedures
will
be
used
by
the
CyberKnife
team
to
determine
the
exact
size,
shape
and
loca;on
of
your
tumor.
• This
informa;on
will
indicate
the
size
of
the
area
being
treated
with
radia;on,
the
radia;on
dose
and
cri;cal
structures
where
radia;on
exposure
should
be
minimized.
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

10. CyberKnife
Treatment
Typically
treatment
is
completed
in
one
session,
but
could
take
up
to
five
sessions
depending
on
the
individual
diagnosis.
On
the
day
of
your
treatment:
1. A
therapist
will
help
you
onto
the
treatment
table
and
fit
the
mask
or
body
mold
if
needed.
Pa;ents
are
observed
throughout
the
treatment
on
closed-­‐circuit
television,
and
they
can
pause
treatment
at
any
;me
by
waving
or
speaking
to
the
technicians.
2. While
the
CyberKnife’s
advanced
tracking
FOR
YOUR
INFORMATION
system
accounts
for
movements
like
breathing,
• Treatment
procedures
take
about
30
–
90
you’re
asked
to
lie
s;ll
during
treatments.
The
minutes,
depending
on
the
complexity
of
your
system
periodically
takes
x-­‐ray
images
and
tumor.
• Pa;ents
are
asked
to
wear
comfortable
clothing
compares
them
to
the
CT
scan
data
to
make
during
CyberKnife
treatments.
Jewelry
is
sure
the
radia;on
beam
is
locked
on
the
tumor.
acceptable
unless
it
is
close
to
the
area
being
treated.
3. Pa;ents
can
usually
go
right
back
to
their
• Feel
free
to
bring
an
iPod®
or
your
favorite
music
CDs
with
you
on
the
day
of
your
normal
rou;nes
once
the
treatment
is
treatment,
and
we
will
play
them
for
you
during
complete.
the
procedure.
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

11. Addi<onal
Resources
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com

12. Our
Center
Under
the
direc;on
of
medical
director
Dr.
Arica
Hirsch,
Illinois
CyberKnife
brings
together
experienced
physicians
and
the
latest
medical
advances
to
provide
pa;ents
with
excep;onal
care
since
its
2011
opening.
Illinois
CyberKnife
is
part
of
Advocate
Lutheran
General’s
renowned
Cancer
Care
Center,
located
in
the
Center
for
Advanced
Care
on
the
hospital’s
campus.
Our
doctors
are
board-­‐cer;fied
in
radia;on
oncology
and
have
several
areas
of
specialty,
including
head
and
neck
cancers,
prostate
cancer
and
lung
cancer.
We
are
dedicated
to
providing
our
pa;ents
with
the
latest
cancer
treatment
technology
and
are
proud
of
the
experience
and
exper;se
our
physicians
and
caring
staff
bring
to
our
pa;ents.
Medical
Director:
Dr.
Arica
Hirsch
CyberKnife
Nurse:
Linda
Green,
BS
RN
Medical
Physicist:
Tony
Simon
Connect
with
us
1700 Luther Lane Suite 1110 Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 723-0100 www.illinoisck.com