How to choose the best hospital for a brain tumor?
While choosing the hospital for brain tumor treatment, take into account:
- Location of the brain tumor hospital. Choose the brain tumor hospital which is faster to reach from your country. It mainly concerns cases when a patient needs an urgent surgical intervention.
- Neurosurgeon’s qualification. Experienced doctors undergo practice at the world leading medical centers, they have certificates and positive patients’ reviews. Doctors of the best brain tumor treatment centers remove a tumor applying special surgical robot. It provides higher accuracy and shortens rehab period. Pay attention that world-renowned neurosurgeons may ask for a higher fee.
- Availability of neuronavigation system. It helps a doctor controlling all the movements to decrease the possibility of healthy brain tissues damaging during surgery.
- The success rate of a brain tumor removal. The brain tumor treatment centers in the world represent high recovery rate and long life expectancy after surgery. So check this info before choosing the brain tumor hospital.
Where are top brain tumor treatment centers located?
The best hospitals for a brain tumor are located in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Germany and Spain are among the best countries to treat brain tumor in Europe. Thailand, South Korea, and India — are top ones in Asia; Turkey — in the Middle East.
These countries offer different prices for the brain tumor treatment, but the quality of therapy remains at about the same level because all procedures are performed according to the strict international treatment protocols. The cost varies due to general price policy within the country and income of local citizens.
How is a brain tumor diagnosed abroad?
Before the development of a treatment plan, doctors appoint diagnostic procedures. Depending on the symptoms and type of a suspected tumor, a specialist may prescribe:
- blood and urine tests
- consultation with an ophthalmologist
- examination of the eyeground
- MRI (with or without contrast)
- PET-CT
- tumor biopsy.
Specialists apply safe biopsy method — brain tumor puncture at the best brain tumor centers. A neurosurgeon receives a sample of tissue using a thin needle. It is inserted through the 3-4 mm incision.
If a patient has already undergone treatment in another hospital and want to get a second medical opinion, it is necessary to show a neurosurgeon all the medical records and MRI-images. You can also have all necessary tests after arrival to the chosen hospital.
How is a brain tumor treated in world's top treatment centers?
Surgical treatment of brain tumor
- Removal of a brain tumor applying Awake Craniotomy technique
During the surgery, a patient remains conscious and follows neurosurgeon’s recommendations. It allows detecting brain areas which control vital functions of an organism and avoid their damaging. Surgery is conducted under local anesthesia that is why the operation is painless for a patient.
- Transnasal removal of a tumor
It is used to remove the brain tumor without surgery. A doctor does not make any incision but removes neoplasm through the sinuses.
A tumor is removed through 1.5-2 cm openings in the skull. It reduces injury rate and shortens postoperative rehabilitation. Endoscopic tools penetrate in the distant brain areas which are hard-to-reach while applying other surgical methods. The procedure requires special microsurgical equipment and high degree of neurosurgeon’s skills.
Non-surgical brain tumor treatment
- Radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery
Among the brain tumor treatment options are CyberKnife and Truebeam with Novalis linear accelerator (state-of-the-art modification of GammaKnife). These systems influence the neoplasm cells with radioactive irradiation and destroy them.
Except for standard chemotherapy regimen, doctors of the best brain tumor centers apply intracranial chemotherapy for malignant brain tumors. A surgeon places special plates with a drug right in the brain. It reduces side effects and damage to the rest of the organs. Intracranial chemotherapy is considered as a new treatment for brain tumors.
These options are not standard ones. They are appointed individually after a consultation with a doctor.
How to make an appointment in the best hospital for a brain tumor?
If you want to get the brain tumor treatment in the best hospital, follow these steps:
- Learn info about the best brain tumor treatment centers listed on this page.
- Submit a request to choose the most appropriate tumor center for you.
- Bookimed manager contacts you to answer all your questions and schedule the date of your arrival at the brain tumor treatment hospital.
Bookimed cooperates with the best brain tumor treatment centers in the world directly. So, Bookimed services is free for a patient.