The University of Pittsburgh’s Neurosurgical Oncology Center joins leading neurosurgeons, neurologists, researches, nurses and support staff with the latest technological advances. This multidisciplinary team delivers compassionate and sophisticated care to patients with tumors of the brain, spine and skull base. Education, support, and counseling for family members are an important part of our work.

Our Neurosurgical Oncology Center is comprised of three primary divisions: the Adult Neurosurgical Oncology Program (directed by Arlan Mintz, MD); the Pediatric Neurosurgical Oncology Program (directed by Ian Pollack, MD) and the Brain Tumor Program located at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in the Hillman Cancer Center (UPCI). The Brain Tumor Program is involved in clinical trials and basic science research for patients with brain tumor and is lead by Dr. Pollack, an internationally renowned neurosurgeon and scientist.

We are dedicated to providing the best treatment available for patients with benign and malignant primary tumors of the brain and spine, and to research leading to more effective therapies than those currently available. The Neurosurgical Oncology Center has been an international leader in the development of minimally invasive surgical approaches for the treatment of brain and spine tumors in both adults and children.

As an international referral center for brain tumor management for both adult and pediatric brain tumors, we rank in the top neuroscience programs in the nation. We provide consultation and guidance for patients who are treated by local physicians, with our supervision. A weekly multidisciplinary neuro-oncology tumor board is a forum for our team of specialists to review patient problems and to formulate management recommendations. The tumor board is attended by neurosurgery, neurology, radiology, pathology and radiation oncology faculty members.

Our faculty is also actively studying other neurological complications of systemic cancer and its treatment, including stroke, neurobehavioral disorders, neurological complications of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, and paraneoplastic neurological syndromes Chief of Adult Neuro-Oncology is Frank Lieberman, MD.

The University of Pittsburgh Neurosurgical Oncology Center is a member of the North American Brain Tumor Consortium, which conducts clinical trials to evaluate novel chemotherapy and molecular treatments for patients with malignant primary brain tumors. In addition, the center has been at the forefront in introducing innovative biological therapeutic approaches for patients with brain tumors.

You may contact any of the individual faculty, or the Neurosurgical Oncology Center administrative offices at 412-692-2600.