Christine's Story: Removing A Tricky Meningioma
Christine Zinke was misdiagnosed with migraines. She saw Brian Nahed, MD, MSc, where she was diagnosed with a meningioma. Here meningioma was removed and she sees Dr. Nahed for regular checkups.
About Brian Nahed, MD
Dr. Nahed is a brain tumor specialist and expert using intra-operative technology to ensure the best patient outcomes. He is an internationally recognized expert in brain mapping, awake surgery, language and motor mapping, subcortical stimulation, and minimally invasive procedures to treat brain tumors aggressively and safely. He serves as President-elect of the AANS/CNS National Section on Tumors and Vice President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Dr. Nahed completed his neurosurgery residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, where Dr. Nahed completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Drs. Daniel Haber and Shyamala Maheswaran in the MGH Cancer Center. Dr. Brian Nahed was recruited to the MGH Department of Neurosurgery, MGH Brain Tumor Center, and Harvard Medical School in 2011. Dr. Nahed research was the first to develop a blood test to identify and capture circulating tumor cells in the blood of patients with glioblastoma. Together with Dr. Shannon Stott, Nahed runs an NIH funded laboratory developing the first blood test for patients with brain tumors.
As the Director of the MGH Neurosurgery Residency Program, he leads neurosurgical education. He serves as the Vice President of the Executive Committee of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the CNS/AANS Executive Committee For Brain Tumors. He Co-Chairs the CNS Leadership Institute and is an active member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Council State Neurological Societies. He has led the development of digital biomarkers for brain health. Dr. Nahed serves as the lead neurotrauma consultant for the National Football League (NFL).
Born in New York, Dr. Nahed attended UCLA, where he majored in Neuroscience, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and with the department's Highest Honors. He attended the Yale School of Medicine, where he was awarded the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship and graduated with honors.
Patient appointments: 617-724-5805. (Appointments / Second Opinions within 24 hrs.) Visit my web page.
Departments, Centers, & Programs:
Clinical Interests:
- Awake and Language Mapping Craniotomy
- Brain tumors
- Cervical and lumbar disc degeneration
- Degenerative spinal conditions
- Glioblastoma
- Hemangioblastomas
- Intrinsic Brain Tumors (Gliomas, Glioblastomas, others)
- Meningiomas
- Metastatic Cancer of the brain (from melanoma, lung, etc)
- Micro-neurosurgery
- Neurosurgery
- Neurosurgical radiation oncology
- Other cancers of the central nervous system
- Recurrent Brain Tumors (post-treatment)
- Spinal Tumor (Primary and Metastatic)
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Mass General Cancer Center: Neuro-Oncology
55 Fruit St.
Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-724-5805
Fax: 617-724-5806
Medical Education
- MD, Yale University School of Medicine
- Residency, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Residency, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Fellowship, New England Baptist Hospital
American Board Certifications
- Neurological Surgery, American Board of Neurological Surgery
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid CT
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Circulating Tumor Cells in Brain Tumor Patients and Blood Based Biomarkers for Brain Tumor Patients
Dr. Brian Nahed's research recently identified the first evidence of tumor cells in the blood of patients with brain tumors - a landmark finding which changes our understanding of brain tumors and the blood. Dr. Nahed and his colleagues developed the first device which they used to identify, capture, and analyze circulating tumor cells in the blood of patients with brain cancer. Through a collaboration between bioengineers, molecular biologists and clinicians, a circulating tumor cell capture device was developed to capture and detect tumor cells from patients with cancer. Under the mentorship of Drs. Daniel Haber, Shyamala Maheswaran, and Mehmet Toner, they aim to harness this technology to genetically characterize tumor cells without needing an invasive biopsy, and determine responsiveness to targeted cancer drugs. It also offers the opportunity to study cancer stem cells or metastatic precursors, thought to be at the origin of cancer spread via the bloodstream, to define their molecular vulnerabilities and help design new therapies to prevent cancer metastasis.
Dr. Nahed has joined Dr. Shannon Stott to develop the first clinical tool to identify and monitor brain tumor patients using a blood test - expanding on their individual work on circulating tumor cells and exosomes. They are actively enrolling patients into their NIH funded research program.
For more information, please click here.
Publications
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Peer-Reviewed Publications: Dr. Nahed has 203 publications in peer-reviewed journals, given hundreds of presentations, published book chapters, and scientific and patient centered blogs. Please refer to PubMed for a complete list of Dr. Nahed's publications. Leader in Liquid Biopsy Research and the first to develop a blood test for patients with brain tumors. Dr. Brian Nahed and Dr. Shannon Stott have developed the first blood-based test to diagnose brain tumors from patient's blood. They have been awarded several grants, including an R01 from the NIH (National Institutes for Health) to develop a liquid biopsy for patients with brain tumors. Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Nahed serves on the Executive Committee of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons where he focuses on improving the education of neurosurgeons nationally and internationally. Dr. Nahed co-chairs the CNS leadership institute and serves as the co-chair of the development committee. He has served as scientific programming and annual meeting chair. Digital Biomarkers for Health. Dr. Nahed has developed novel use of digital biomarkers, technology, and tele-health to advance health care. Click Here
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i appreciated his plans for continued monitoring, [redacted]
Dr Brian Nahed has been my Dr for 4 years and has been amazing! Always available, knowledgeable, kind , understanding , I cannot say enough about him!
Dr. Nahed is an excellent provider - professional, compassionate and reviews with patience all information answering questions thoroughly touching base during all explanations to insure patient understanding. His expertise is amazing and the care he provides unparalleled. I am so grateful to be one of Dr. Nahed's patients.
Meeting was Virtual. Dr. Nahed has a remarkable way of weaving together all the important clinical info into a decision with the patient. And does it in a genuine way that takes into account what the patient wants. Answers all questions and it never feels rushed though I know he is incredibly busy. I have not needed surgery yet (and hoping I do ... Read More
He provided information that I could understand and was attentive.
Dr, Nahed was very knowledgeable and most professional.
He was very good.
I thought Dr. Nahed was very kind in addition to being knowledgeable, comma, and he did not seem rushed while he was explaining what was going on, period.
Dr Nahed is knowledgeable and a very effective communicator. We agreed upon a treatment plan that I am very comfortable with.