Life With Brain Cancer

Life with brain cancer goes far beyond MRI scans and surgery. At the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, we understand that paying attention to both your physical and emotional needs is key to your long-term well-being.

When can I go back to work?
Can I see my grandkids?
How will a brain tumor affect my personality … will I still be ‘me’?

We recognize that you may have these or other questions. Each person’s needs are different, and our team works with you to develop a personalized treatment plan – helping you to live a productive life focused on the areas that mean the most to you.

Coordinated, compassionate brain tumor treatment

Thanks to treatment advances, life with a brain tumor is now more hopeful, with many brain cancer patients measuring their survival in years. At our center, every effort is made to select the most aggressive therapy with minimal side effects, so you can achieve the highest quality of life with brain cancer. We offer a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach with superior access and convenience. Our program includes:

• 24-hour appointment guarantee
• All clinical treatment provided onsite at the Center
• A team that includes physicians, nurses, clinical coordinators, social workers
• A designated patient neuro-oncology coordinator, including assistance with testing, setting up appointments and overall education during your care
• This also includes coordinating with your primary oncologist outside of Henry Ford, if necessary
• Same-day visit for MRIs, to streamline your time at the Center
• The latest research and clinical trials
• Brain Tumor Support Group meetings

Research: helping improve quality of life with brain cancer

Henry Ford is active in two major types of research that help ensure you receive the most advanced care while maintaining the highest quality of life with a brain tumor. This includes:

• Outcomes research: Henry Ford develops outcome studies to learn more about quality of life with brain cancer, to better determine how to improve care for you and your caregivers. When making treatment recommendations, our clinicians turn to this extensive outcomes data to identify the most successful therapies. They also take into account your age, pre-existing health conditions and other factors that, when combined with treatment, could drastically impact your quality of life with a brain tumor.
• Palliative Care Research: The Balakrishnan research program in Neuropalliative care focuses on research to improve symptom control, coping with brain tumors and the transitioning of care at the end of life.
• Clinical trials: The Hermelin Brain Tumor Center is involved in some of the most promising clinical trials across the United States, including studies that focus specifically on improving quality of life with brain cancer.

Life with a brain tumor: engaging with others

We also understand that life with brain cancer can be improved by engaging with others in the broader community. To this end, Henry Ford offers several ways for you and your family to learn more and foster communication, including:

• Patient stories: Read about the personal journeys of Henry Ford brain tumor survivors.
• Support group:The Hermelin Brain Tumor Center’s monthly brain tumor support group provides a forum to learn from each other’s experiences.
• Facebook page: Learn about Center news and the latest events.
• Events: This includes an annual brain tumor run that we sponsor, to celebrate life.

End-of-life care

Despite advanced treatments, brain tumor therapy may fail at some point. In these cases, Henry Ford works to provide compassionate care during the end of life through our hospice program. Hospice care focuses on quality of life, empowering you to make your own decisions, maintaining your dignity, and helping you and your family find spiritual peace. The Balakrishnan research program in Neuropalliative care is part of the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center and engages in much needed research about the end of life of patients with neurological diseases.