Brain and Spine Tumors Outcomes

Our steadfast commitment to the discovery of new treatment methods has made Winship one of the most sought-after Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the Southeast.

Because there are many different types of brain and spinal tumors and our understanding of the disease is constantly evolving, it can be difficult to predict an outcome for each individual diagnosed with brain or spinal tumor.

It’s important to consider that survival rates can be misleading because they represent patients who have experienced a certain outcome over a period of months or years. Your exact prognosis, what your health will be in six months, a year, five years, will depend on the science of today and the progress that has been made in recent years — and not on what the current numbers say.

That said, a variety of factors can impact a brain cancer prognosis, including:

• Type of cancer
• Stage of the cancer
• Location of the tumor
• Age and overall health of the patient

Some forms of brain cancer are among the most aggressive forms of cancer — glioblastoma, for instance, is the most common grade IV brain cancer and one of the most difficult types of brain cancer to treat. Recurrence rates are also quite high, but Winship is committed to improving brain cancer survival rates, and there is hope that treatment methods will continue to advance, and survival rates will improve moving forward.

As an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only one in Georgia, Winship must meet rigorous standards that prove we have state-of-the-art facilities, offer cutting-edge treatments, deliver breakthrough research and conduct lifesaving clinical trials.

For brain and spinal tumors, precision medicine is the future. Winship takes a personalized approach and tailors treatment plans to meet each person’s particular needs.

Depending on what type of treatment method a patient undergoes, there are side effects that can be expected, such as:

• Fatigue
• Memory loss and cognitive impairment
• Changes in personality, mood and/or behavior
• Depression
• Infertility
• Seizures

At Winship, we offer patients both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities. These programs and services include speech therapy, physical therapy and pain management.