World-Class Glioblastoma Care

We provide leading edge glioblastoma care that centers around you. At Northwestern Medicine, we treat more than a thousand cancerous brain tumors each year. Our physicians have earned international recognition for their expertise in treating glioblastomas. In addition, our physician-scientists have pioneered treatments for these tumors.

Glioblastoma is a complex type of cancerous tumor that most often occurs in the brain. It is aggressive and hard to treat because it grows quickly and can invade healthy brain tissue.

As a leading center for brain tumor research, we look for new ways to treat glioblastoma. Advanced treatments help improve the quality of life for people with glioblastoma.

Schedule an Appointment

Schedule an appointment with us if:

• You have a newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma.
• You want a second opinion about a diagnosis or treatment recommendation.
• Your diagnosis is unclear.
• You want to participate in one of our clinical trials.

Through the Lou and Jean Malnati Brain Tumor Institute of Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine, we offer a wide range of services, including access to one of the largest clinical trial portfolios in the Midwest.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) provides special grants called Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs). The Lurie Cancer Center Brain Tumor SPORE, established in 2018, is led by Maciej Lesniak, MD, chair and the Michael J. Marchese Professor of Neurosurgery, with projects led by members of the Department of Neurological Surgery and the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology aims to advance translational research and improve treatment strategies for highly malignant brain tumors with a focus on glioblastoma.

Our physician scientists are pioneering new treatments for glioblastoma, helping patients live longer:

• A Phase 1 Study to Assess BDTX-1535, an Oral EGFR Inhibitor, in Patients With Glioblastoma or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
• A Phase 1/1B Adaptive Dose Escalation Study of Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) in Combination With Standard of Care for Patients With Glioblastoma
• PROTECT Study: A Phase II, Open-Label Trial of PROphylactic Skin Toxicity ThErapy With Clindamycin and Triamcinolone in Glioblastoma Patients Treated With Tumor Treating Fields
• Phase 1/2 Trial of Blood-Brain Barrier Opening With the SonoCloud-9 Implantable Ultrasound Device and Treatment With Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel in Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma

To learn more, please contact our study coordinator at cancertrials@northwestern.edu or call 312.695.1102.

• Advanced diagnosis and treatment: At Northwestern Medicine, you will have access to the largest neuro-oncology team in the country, including world-renowned experts.
• Northwestern Brain Tumor Board: This board reviews complex cases. It is made up of leading experts in their fields, including:
  • Neurosurgeons
  • Neuro-oncologists
  • Radiation oncologists
  • Neuroradiologists
  • Neuropathologists
  • Neurologists specializing in tumor-related epilepsy
  • Cancer genetic counselors
• Access to the first proton center in Illinois: Your care team at the Northwestern Medicine Glioblastoma Program works closely with specialists at Northwestern Medicine Proton Center, one of the few proton therapy centers in the Midwest and the first in Illinois. Proton therapy provides precise amounts of radiation to treat tumors, limiting damage to nearby healthy tissue.
• Expert pathology reports: Our renowned Neuropathology team specializes in treating tumors of the central nervous system. To evaluate these tumors, we use clinical, radiologic, pathologic and molecular data to make accurate diagnoses.
• Methylation profiling: Methylation profiling helps accurately diagnose brain tumors based on their genetic makeup. It helps your care team predict how the tumor will respond to certain types of chemotherapy.
• Dedication to research: We are committed to clinical research and bringing the most advanced treatments to our patients. This translates into better survival rates and quality of life for people with brain and spine tumors.
• Pioneering new treatments: Our physicians and research scientists seek new treatments for glioblastoma and other gliomas, brain metastases, meningioma, and other brain and spine tumors. These efforts have improved outcomes for glioblastoma.

If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, you should get a second opinion from another specialist. Download our second opinion guide. It can help you learn more about treatment for your brain tumor.