UIC Brain Tumor Clinic Approach to Treatment

The UIC Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Brain Tumor Center specializes in the treatment and support of patients who suffer from a wide array of brain tumors. M. Kelly Nicholas, MD, PhD, is the service director of neuro-oncology in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation at UIC. He works as a member of a multidisciplinary team to provide expert care to people living with brain tumors and to those experiencing neurological side effects of cancer treatment. He oversees a number of clinical trials in an effort to improve the lives of those he serves.

Brain Tumor Clinic Specialties:

• Primary and metastatic brain tumors
• Neurological complications of cancer treatment
• Paraneoplastic syndromes

Our Partnerships:

We work closely with our colleagues in neurosurgery, radiation oncology, and neuropsychology to provide multidisciplinary care. These specialists meet weekly to review and revise patient treatment plans. Nurses, technicians, residents, and fellows also provide valuable contributions to care.

• Neuropsychology Specialty
• The UIC Cancer Center
• UIC Department of Neurosurgery
• Radiation Oncology- University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System

Clinical Trials:

Standard of care treatments exist for every tumor type, but options can be limited. For this reason, clinical trials are an essential component of care. To learn more about brain tumor clinical trials offered at the University of Illinois, call Jean Arzbaecher at (312)-996-3369 or send an email to: jeana@uic.edu or review these links:

Clinical trials at NIH: http://clinicaltrials.gov/

Additional information for cancer support groups and general oncology wellness may be found in the links below:

Mokena/Homewood Support Group
Cancer Support Center (south suburbs): http://cancersupportcenter.org/
Cancer Wellness House (western suburbs): http://www.wellnesshouse.org/
Cancer Wellness Center (north suburbs): http://cancerwellness.org/
American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/
American Brain Tumor Association: http://www.abta.org/
National Brain Tumor Foundation: http://www.braintumor.org/

UIC Brain Tumor Center Research & Publications:

1. Friedman, H.S., Prados, M.D., Wen, P.Y., Mikkelsen, T., Schiff, D., Abrey, L.E., Yung, W.K., Paleologos, N., Nicholas, M.K., Jensen, R., Vredenburgh, J., Huang, J., Zheng, M., & Cloughesy, T. (2009).Bevacizumab alone and in combination with irinotecan in recurrent glioblastoma.Journal of Clinical Oncology, 27(28), 4733-40.
2. Wefel, J.S., Cloughesy, T., Zazzali, J.L., Zheng, M., Prados, M., Wen, P.Y., Mikkelsen, T., Schiff, D., Abrey, L.E., Yung, W.K., Paleologos, N., Nicholas, M.K., Jensen, R., Vredenburgh, J., Das, A., & Friedman, H.S. (2011).Neurocognitive function in patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab.Neuro-Oncology, 13(6), 60-8
3. O’Donnell, P.H., Undevia, S.D., Stadler, W.M., Karrison, T.M., Nicholas, M.K., Janisch, L., & Ratain, M.J. (2012).A phase I study of continuous infusion cilengitide in patients with solid tumors.Investigation of New Drugs, 30(2), 604-10
4. Tye, K., Engelhard, H.H., Slavin, K.V., Nicholas, M.K., Chmura, S.J., Kwok, Y., Ho, D.S., Weichselbaum, R.R., & Koshy, M. (2014).An analysis of radiation necrosis of the central nervous system treated with bevacizumab.Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 117(2), 321-7
5. Liang, Y., Diehn, M., Bollen, A.W., Aldape, K.D., Nicholas, M.K., Lamborn, K.R., Berger, M.S., Botstein, D., Brown, P.O., & Israel, M.A. (2005).Gene expression profiling reveals molecularly and clinically distinct subtypes of glioblastoma multiforme.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 102(16), 5814-5819, 2005.
6. Nicholas MK, Lukas RV, Chmura S, Yamini B, Lesniak M, Pytel P.
   Molecular heterogeneity in glioblastoma: opportunities and challenges.
   Semin Oncol. 2011 Apr;38(2):243-53.