Brain & Spine Tumor Care at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center

Expert Brain & Spine Tumor Care

At Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center, our Brain Tumor Program offers the expertise of a highly skilled, multidisciplinary team that specializes in diagnosis and treatment of people with benign and malignant brain and spinal cord tumors.

Our experienced team offers advanced cancer care and sophisticated technology to treat complex brain, head, neck and central nervous system cancers. The Brain Tumor Program strives to improve the quality of life for people with all types of tumors that affect the nervous system including glioblastomas, gliomas, spinal tumors and metastatic tumors.

Working together for you

At Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center, care is centered on our patients and their families. Dedicated resources are available to provide support. A nurse navigator guides people through all the steps of treatment and throughout the healing phase of your recovery.

Our team is made up of fellowship-trained specialists who work together to coordinate care, often seeing patients on the same day. These experts specialize in neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, neuropathology, head and neck surgery, neuro-ophthalmology and medical oncology.

Our doctors meet weekly at a brain tumor board to provide recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and screening for clinical trials. Medical specialists from around the region are encouraged to call in and present challenging cases

Advanced treatments & clinical trials

We utilize the latest treatment tools including microneurosurgery, Gamma Knife Perfexion with Extend and Varian Edge technology. These therapies treat brain tumors located in delicate areas of the nervous system.

We conduct innovative clinical trials using medication approaches including immunotherapy for patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent brain tumors.

Brain Cancer Symptoms

Symptoms of brain cancer vary depending on the size and location of the tumor, but may include:

Seizures, especially if new onset
New, persistent headache
Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
Speech and coordination issues
New onset visual problems
Nausea or vomiting

Services

Neuro-Oncology Clinic

This joint clinic between neurosurgery and neuro-oncology experts cares for people with brain and spine tumors of all types. Visits for second opinions about treatment plans are available to any patient.

Teleneuro-oncology

For patients who live far from our Augusta campus, we offer virtual visits for ongoing management or treatment advice.

Skull base tumors

Specialists in neurosurgery, radiosurgery and head and neck surgery have expertise and experience in caring for people with skull base tumors. We treat vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, chordomas and craniopharyngiomas, among others.

Pituitary tumors

Our neurosurgeons are skilled in removing pituitary tumors, typically with an approach through the nose. Neuroendocrinology and neuro-oncology expertise is available, as is specialized radiation oncology therapy when recommended.

Neurofibromatosis Clinic

This is a subspecialty clinic for patients of all ages who have neurofibromatosis type 1 or type 2, tuberous sclerosis or Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL). These patients require care by physicians with special expertise in these hereditary disorders.

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) Alliance Clinic

The TSC Clinic is designated by the TSC Alliance as one of two sites in Georgia that specialize in the management of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex. Twelve medical and surgical specialties participate in this clinic.

Paraganglioma/Pheochromocytoma Genetics Clinic

This clinic brings together a multidisciplinary team of specialists to help people who have been diagnosed with tumors of the autonomic nervous system or who are concerned about the possibility of this diagnosis based on imaging, lab findings, genetic test results or family history.

VHL Clinical Care Center

Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome is a rare hereditary cancer disorder that leads to tumors in the cerebellum, skull base, spinal cord and kidneys as well as other sites in the body. Diagnosis and management of patients VHL is conducted in our dedicated clinical center.

Treatment

Neuro-oncology for diagnostic evaluation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and precision medicine treatments
Management of related issues such as seizures and medications
Neurosurgical biopsy and resection for diagnosis and treatment
Radiation oncology for conventional and radiosurgery treatments

New Patients

We are committed to seeing each patient as soon as possible, often within one to two days and sometimes on the same day in urgent situations.

Prepare for Your Appointment

For your first appointment, please bring your photo ID and insurance information.

Brain Tumor Support Group

People affected by brain tumors are welcome to join us, including patients, family, friends and loved ones. Educational materials, resources and other important information are shared at each meeting. To participate in the support group, contact:

Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center

Outpatient Services
1411 Laney Walker Blvd.
Room AN-1305
Augusta, GA 30912
(706) 721-2505

First Wednesday of every month
4-5 PM

Partial List of Cancers We Treat

Abscess central nervous system
Acoustic neuroma
Anaplastic astrocytoma
Anaplastic ependymoma
Anaplastic meningioma
Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
Astrocytoma
ATRX
Benign neoplasm of brain
Brachial plexopathy
Brachial plexus lesion
Brain abscess
Brain neoplasms
Cerebellar tumor
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
Cerebrospinal fluid abnormality
Chondrosarcoma
Choriocarcinoma
Choroid plexus papilloma
Choroid plexus tumor
CNS lymphoma
Craniopharyngioma
Diffuse astrocytoma
Diffuse leptomeningeal
Diffuse midline glioma
Dysplastic gangliocytoma
Ependymoma
Epithelioid glioblastoma
Ganglioglioma
Ganglioneuroblastoma
Ganglioneurocytoma
Germ cell tumor
Germinoma
Glioblastoma
Glioma
Gliomatosis cerebri
Glomus jugulare
Glomus tympanicum
Glomus vagale
Hemangioblastoma
Hemangiopericytoma
K27M
Hypothalamic hamartoma
IDH
JC Virus
Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Leptomeningeal metastasis
Lhermitte-Duclos
Lumbosacral plexus lesion
Lymphocytic hypophysitis
Malignant brain neoplasm
Malignant neoplasm of brain stem
Malignant neoplasm of cerebellum
Malignant neoplasm of frontal lobe
Malignant neoplasm spinal cord
Medulloblastoma
Medullaepithelioma
Melanotic schwannoma
Meningioma
Meningitis
Metastatic brain cancer
Metastasis
Myxopapillary ependymoma
Neoplasm Of Brain Stem
Nerve sheath tumor
Neurocysticercosis
Neuroendocrine tumor
Neurofibroma
Neurofibromatosis
Neurosarcoidosis
Olfactory neuroblastoma
Oligodendroglioma
Optic nerve glioma
Optic pathway glioma
Paraganglioma
Paraneoplastic neuropathy
Periventricular mass
Personal history of malignant neoplasm of brain
Petrous apex tumor
Pilocytic astrocytoma
Pineal tumor
Pineoblastoma
Pituicytoma
Pituitary adenoma
Pituitary tumor
Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma
Plexiform neurofibroma
Primitive neuronal component
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
Prolactinoma
Pseudotumor cerebri
Rathke's cleft cyst
RELA
Rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor
Schwannoma
Schwannomatosis
SHH
Solitary fibrous tumor
Spinal cord diseases
Spinal cord compression
Spinal tumor
Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma
Subependymoma
Temporal tumor
TP53
Tuberous sclerosis
Vertebral metastasis
Vestibular schwannoma
Von Hipple Lindau
1p/19q

Our Team

John Henson, MD

Neurologist

Affiliate

Gerald Wallace, MD