9/09/2025 | Amanda Gonçalves | Health Business

https://www.saudebusiness.com/hospitais/sirio-libanes-inaugura-primeiro-centro-de-excelencia-em-tumores-cerebrais-da-america/ 

The Brain Tumor Center integrates multidisciplinary care, clinical and translational research, and teaching programs, focusing on personalized treatments and advances in neuro-oncology.

The Sírio-Libanês Hospital inaugurated the first center of excellence in Latin America dedicated to the treatment, teaching, and clinical and translational research of brain tumors. The Brain Tumor Center (BTC) aims to offer personalized approaches to patients and integrate clinical care with scientific research. 

The BTC was structured based on three pillars: integrated care, research, and teaching. The proposal is to improve clinical outcomes, survival, and quality of life for people with brain tumors, in addition to generating data that can guide new treatments. 

Central nervous system tumors, although less common, have high mortality rates and represent a growing challenge for the Brazilian healthcare system. INCA estimates indicate that approximately 11,490 new cases are registered in the country each year. 

Many centers still treat these tumors as if they were all the same, without considering the unique biology of each case, according to Marcos Maldaun, a neuro-oncologist at Sírio-Libanês. “Each tumor has its own signature and requires a specific approach,” he says. 

At BTC, cases are analyzed by a multidisciplinary team composed of neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists, radiologists, pathologists, and rehabilitation specialists. The center uses resources such as neuronavigation, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, surgical ultrasound, and fluorescent dyes, allowing for less invasive surgeries and greater preservation of neurological function. 

In addition to surgery, patients have access to high-precision radiotherapy and personalized cancer treatments based on precision medicine. The team continuously reviews each stage of the patient's journey to identify the best therapeutic strategy. 

One of the center's unique features is the integration of research and clinical practice. The idea is that laboratory studies, preclinical tests, and clinical protocols contribute directly to medical decisions, rather than being limited to academic production. 

The BTC also develops genetic and epigenetic research, cell cultures, and partnerships with international centers. Its own clinical protocols are in the implementation phase, including patients from the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) and other Latin American countries. 

In the field of education, the center plans to offer specialization programs in neuro-oncology, refresher courses for healthcare professionals, and educational materials for patients and their families, with the aim of expanding knowledge about brain tumors in the region.

Maldaun points out that the model also seeks to make treatment costs more predictable, facilitating patient planning and contributing to greater access and equity.