Blog

We welcome patients from around the globe and invite you to contact us. Here are a few of our patients who tell their stories. Information for International Patients Juan from Chile – Pituitary Adenoma:  Finding the diagnosis was the hardest part. It took me a year;...

Doing what it takes to get the best care Being diagnosed with a brain tumor, skull base tumor or pituitary adenoma is a frightening, life-altering event. Fortunately, treatments for all these tumor types whether cancerous or benign have advanced significantly over the last two decades. From...

While many intracranial tumors can be completely removed with surgery, others require additional treatments including chemotherapy, immuno-therapy and/or radiotherapy. Pacific Neuroscience Institute neurosurgeons work closely with radiation oncology colleagues in the treatment of these brain, skull base and pituitary tumors. Precision delivery of radiation with either...

We have added two new clinical trials to our roster. NEW CLINICAL TRIALS AbbVie / RTOG (NCT 02573324): A Study of ABT-414 in Subjects With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma (GBM) With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Amplification. This study seeks to determine whether the addition of...

“Doctors have always recognized that every patient is unique, and doctors have always tried to tailor their treatments as best they can to individuals. You can match a blood transfusion to a blood type — that was an important discovery. What if matching a cancer...

It’s time for a vacation! Taking a break can be rejuvenating and provide a lovely change of scene. Whether taking a trip a few miles away or across the country (or globe), people traveling with cancer can make their journey more enjoyable with these plan-ahead tips. General travel considerations:...

We have a number of ongoing and new clinical trials at the Pacific Brain Tumor Center for patients who may benefit from newer brain tumor treatment options. In our Clinical Trials Round-Up blog series, we will periodically provide an update on the latest clinical trials and studies at our center....

It was Winston Churchill who famously said, “Never give in—never, never never.” He could have been describing Rudolf Metzger and his Providence Saint John’s Health Center physician Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD. Metzger has confronted numerous obstacles over his 70 years. As a young immigrant from Austria,...

We are very excited to announce the launch of the new Pacific Neuroscience Institute website, www.PacificNeuro.org Since 2007, the Pacific Brain Tumor Center & Pituitary Disorders Program has been focused on providing comprehensive care and minimally invasive treatment of brain, skull base and pituitary tumors.  Over...

What is Keyhole Surgery? In the past, traditional approaches to brain tumor removal always involved major surgery. In a recent paper published in Journal of Neuro-Ophthamology, Dr. Daniel Kelly and his colleagues detail how significant advances in surgical techniques over the past 20 years have changed...