Neuro-Oncology / Blood Brain Barrier Program

Successfully treating brain tumors is very difficult because of the brain's natural defense, the blood-brain barrier. For more than 20 years, however, the Blood Brain Barrier Program at OHSU has been extensively researching the effective delivery of chemotherapy drugs for treating malignant brain tumors.

Currently, the program utilizes the Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption treatment, pioneered by Edward Neuwelt, M.D., an OHSU neurosurgeon. With this treatment, the cells that make up the brain’s protective barrier are temporarily shrunk with a concentrated sugar solution. This allows chemotherapy drugs to pass into the brain and reach the tumor. Dr. Neuwelt continues to devote his efforts to researching and refining this treatment.