Penn’s Brain Tumor Center sees the highest volume of brain tumor patients in Pennsylvania. Our clinical team evaluates, diagnoses and treats a variety of cases, including atypical and rare cases, for both primary and metastatic tumors of the brain.

At the Penn Brain Tumor Center, we fight aggression with innovation: We propel the forward, developing and utilizing novel therapies and precision technologies – such as fluorescence-guided surgery for tumor resections, immunotherapy and proton therapy – in addition to standard treatments.

“When we talk about a patient, we talk about the best standard option, and then the best experimental option,” explained Donald M. O’Rourke, MD, Director, Abramson Cancer Center Translational Center for Excellence in Glioblastoma.

Penn neurosurgeons are using an innovative precision therapy developed at Penn -- TumorGlow ®, a fluorescent dye-based innovation that allows surgeons to distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous tissue when exposed to near-infrared light.

“We use dyes to label tumors,” Sean M. Grady, MD, Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, detailed. “Injection of those dyes, using special microscopes and cameras, enables us to see the tumor more precisely.”

TumorGlow® highlights residual cancer cells in real-time that would otherwise not be detected-- leading to a more precise resection, better outcomes and less recurrence.

Penn Neurosurgery’s team of neurosurgeons, physicians and clinical researchers investigate the complex pathology of brain cancers, and to conduct investigational studies to better serve our patients.

“The cutting edge breakthroughs are going to be coming through immunotherapy, which is engineering patients’ t-cells to be able to attack tumor cells,” said Dr. O’Rourke. His laboratory is currently focused on using immunotherapy in the treatment of glioblastoma, aiming to improve outcomes for patients with glioblastoma and other brain tumors.

Penn Neurosurgery’s team of neurosurgeons, physicians and clinical researchers investigate the complex pathology of brain cancers, and to conduct investigational studies to better serve our patients. Use our online referral form or call 877-937-PENN (7366).

Related Links:

Read more about the Penn Brain Tumor Center
Meet the Brain Tumor Center treatment team
View the Penn Physician profile for M. Sean Grady, MD
Read Neurosurgery updates on the Penn Medicine Physician Blog
View open Penn Medicine physician career opportunities
Read the clinical briefing, “Glioblastoma Immunotherapy Research at Penn Medicine, Including CART-EGFRvIII Therapy”
Follow Penn physician updates on Twitter
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