Where can I find a brain tumor specialist in Roanoke Virginia?

Dr. Nasser Mohammed is a fellowship-trained neuro-oncologist and brain tumor specialist at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia. He is one of the only dedicated neuro-oncologists serving Southwest Virginia, and can be reached at (540) 581-9914.

Does Dr. Mohammed offer clinical trials for brain tumors?

Yes. Dr. Mohammed is pursuing CTEP registration and NCORP affiliation to bring NCI-sponsored brain tumor clinical trials to Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, so Southwest Virginia patients do not have to travel to major cancer centers for access to investigational therapies.

What brain conditions does Dr. Mohammed treat?

Dr. Mohammed treats glioblastoma (GBM), grade 4 astrocytoma, low-grade gliomas, IDH-mutant astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, brain metastases, CNS lymphoma, meningioma, and other primary and secondary brain tumors.

Brain Tumor Doctor Roanoke VA | Dr. Nasser Mohammed, MD

Q: What is a neuro-oncologist?

A neuro-oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating brain tumors and cancers of the nervous system, including glioblastoma (GBM), grade 4 astrocytoma, brain metastases, CNS lymphoma, and low-grade gliomas.

Q: What is glioblastoma (GBM)?

Glioblastoma (GBM), also called grade 4 astrocytoma or glioblastoma multiforme, is the most aggressive type of primary brain cancer. Dr. Mohammed specializes in comprehensive GBM management including chemotherapy, tumor treating fields, and clinical trial access at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia.

About

Brain Tumor & Brain Cancer
Care in Roanoke, VA

I am a board-certified neuro-oncologist and brain tumor specialist at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia — one of the only fellowship-trained brain cancer doctors serving Southwest Virginia and the surrounding Appalachian region.

My training at MD Anderson Cancer Center provided me with deep expertise in managing glioblastoma (GBM), grade 4 astrocytoma, malignant brain tumors, brain metastases, CNS lymphoma, low-grade gliomas, and other complex brain cancers — using the most current protocols and RANO imaging criteria.

My dual training in both neurosurgery and neurology allows me to offer a uniquely comprehensive perspective — understanding the full neurological and oncological picture of each patient's brain tumor diagnosis.

Fellowship — Neuro-Oncology

MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Board Certification

Neurology & Neuro-Oncology

40+ Peer-Reviewed Publications

Active academic and clinical research profile

Carilion Clinic

Neuro-Oncology Program, Roanoke, Virginia

NCI Clinical Trials

CTEP-registered investigator, NCORP-affiliated

Areas of Expertise

Brain Tumors & Cancers
I Treat

Glioblastoma (GBM) & Grade 4 Brain Cancer

Expert management of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), grade 4 astrocytoma, and other malignant brain cancers. Treatment includes Stupp protocol chemoradiation, temozolomide, tumor treating fields (Optune), and clinical trial access.

Brain Metastases

Multidisciplinary care coordination for patients with cancer that has spread to the brain, including systemic treatment optimization and radiosurgery planning.

CNS Lymphoma

Expert management of primary central nervous system lymphoma with high-dose methotrexate-based regimens and consolidation strategies.

Low-Grade Gliomas & Astrocytoma

Surveillance and treatment planning for IDH-mutant astrocytoma, grade 2/3 glioma, and oligodendroglioma (1p/19q co-deletion). Molecular profiling guides every treatment decision.

Meningiomas & Skull Base

Medical management and post-surgical surveillance for meningiomas, including high-grade and recurrent cases requiring systemic therapy.

Clinical Trial Enrollment

Access to NCI-sponsored and industry investigational protocols that would otherwise require travel to academic cancer centers.

My Philosophy

A measured, evidence-based
approach to complex care

Precision Diagnosis

Every tumor is evaluated with integrated molecular profiling — IDH mutation, MGMT methylation, 1p/19q codeletion — to guide treatment decisions grounded in current WHO classification and RANO criteria.

Multidisciplinary Coordination

I work closely with neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuroradiologists, and neuropathologists to ensure each patient receives a truly coordinated treatment plan — not siloed care.

Local Access to Innovation

Through CTEP registration and NCORP affiliation, I am actively bringing NCI-sponsored clinical trials to Roanoke so patients in southwest Virginia don't have to travel hundreds of miles for cutting-edge treatment.

Patient & Family Partnership

A brain tumor diagnosis is life-altering for the entire family. I take time to explain diagnoses clearly, discuss realistic goals of care, and involve loved ones in every step of the treatment journey.

Research

Academic scholarship
in neuro-oncology

With more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, my research spans neuro-oncology, stereotactic radiosurgery, meningioma management, pituitary tumors, and vascular neurosurgery. I remain committed to advancing the science that directly informs patient care.

Oncology

Mohammed N, et al. Outcomes in patients with high-grade meningioma (HGM): a multi-institutional study.

Neuro-Oncology · 2024 · PMID via DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noae165.0140
Oncology

Mohammed N, Hung YC, Xu Z, et al. Neurofibromatosis type 2-associated meningiomas: an international multicenter study of outcomes after Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery.

J Neurosurg · 2021 · PMID: 34144518
Oncology

Shepard MJ, Xu Z, Donahue J, … Mohammed N, … Sheehan JP. Stereotactic radiosurgery with and without checkpoint inhibition for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer to the brain: a matched cohort study.

J Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 31349225
Oncology

Narayan V, Savardekar A, Mohammed N, et al. Primary Focal Intracranial Leptomeningeal Glioma: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

World Neurosurg · 2018 · PMID: 29689399
Oncology

Savardekar AR, Patra DP, … Mohammed N, et al. Differential Tumor Progression Patterns in Skull Base Versus Non-Skull Base Meningiomas: A Critical Analysis from a Long-Term Follow-Up Study.

World Neurosurg · 2018 · PMID: 29258946
Radiosurgery

Mohammed N, Hung YC, Eluvathingal Muttikkal TJ, et al. Changes in the muscles of mastication before and after primary stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.

J Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 31703194
Radiosurgery

Mohammed N, Hung YC, Chen CJ, et al. A Proposed Grading Scale for Predicting Outcomes After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas.

Neurosurgery · 2020 · PMID: 31584074
Radiosurgery

Mohammed N, Hung YC, Xu Z, et al. A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Analysis of Outcomes After Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Older versus Younger Patients with Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: An International Multicenter Study.

World Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 30790731
Radiosurgery

Faramand A, Kano H, Niranjan A, … Mohammed N, et al. Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Choroid Plexus Tumors: A Report of the International Radiosurgery Research Foundation.

Neurosurgery · 2020 · PMID: 33372216
Radiosurgery

Hung YC, Lee CC, Yang HC, Mohammed N, et al. Stereotactic radiosurgery for central neurocytomas: an international multicenter retrospective cohort study.

J Neurosurg · 2020 · PMID: 32244212
Radiosurgery

Langlois AM, … Mohammed N, Sheehan JP, et al. Outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery for schwannomas of the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves.

J Neurosurg · 2021 · PMID: 33482633
Radiosurgery

Mohammed N, Bunevicius A, Muttikkal Thomas E, et al. Gamma Knife radiosurgery associated worsening of superficial siderosis due to a foramen magnum tumor — case report.

J Radiosurg SBRT · 2020 · PMID: 33282471
Radiosurgery

Mehta GU, Lekovic GP, … Mohammed N, et al. Effect of Anatomic Segment Involvement on Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Facial Nerve Schwannomas: An International Multicenter Cohort Study.

Neurosurgery · 2020 · PMID: 32687577
Meningioma

Ruiz-Garcia H, Trifiletti DM, Mohammed N, et al. Convexity Meningiomas in Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 2: Long-Term Outcomes After Gamma Knife Radiosurgery.

World Neurosurg · 2020 · PMID: 33152493
Meningioma

Mohammed N, Narayan V, Patra D, et al. Management of Meningiomas Involving the Major Venous Sinuses: A Single-Institution Experience.

World Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 30878750
Meningioma

Patra DP, Savardekar AR, … Mohammed N, et al. Meningioma: The Tumor That Taught Us Neurosurgery.

World Neurosurg · 2018 · PMID: 29902611
Meningioma

Cordeiro D, Xu Z, Nasser M, et al. The role of Crooke's changes in recurrence and remission after gamma knife radiosurgery.

J Neurooncol · 2019 · PMID: 30607704
Meningioma

Narayan V, Bir SC, Mohammed N, et al. Surgical Management of Giant Intracranial Meningioma: Operative Nuances, Challenges, and Outcome.

World Neurosurg · 2018 · PMID: 28987827
Pituitary

Mohammed N, Ding D, Hung YC, et al. Primary versus postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery for acromegaly: a multicenter matched cohort study.

J Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 31026829
Pituitary

Hung YC, Lee CC, Yang HC, Mohammed N, et al. The benefit and risk of stereotactic radiosurgery for prolactinomas: an international multicenter cohort study.

J Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 31374549
Pituitary

Shrivastava A, Mohammed N, et al. Outcomes After Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Pediatric Patients with Cushing Disease or Acromegaly: A Multi-Institutional Study.

World Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 30790739
Pituitary

Narayan V, Mohammed N, et al. Long-Term Outcome of Nonfunctioning and Hormonal Active Pituitary Adenoma After Gamma Knife Radiosurgery.

World Neurosurg · 2018 · PMID: 29574220
Vascular

Hung YC, Mohammed N, et al. Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Cavernous Sinus Versus Noncavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: Outcomes and Outcome Predictors.

Neurosurgery · 2020 · PMID: 31384943
Vascular

Hung YC, Mohammed N, et al. The impact of preradiosurgery embolization on intracranial arteriovenous malformations: a matched cohort analysis based on de novo lesion volume.

J Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 31470409
Vascular

Raper DMS, Mohammed N, et al. Left temporal craniotomy and direct microcatheterization of the middle meningeal artery for treatment of a complex temporal dural arteriovenous fistula.

Neurosurg Focus · 2019 · PMID: 30939445
Vascular

Dossani RH, Patra DP, … Mohammed N, et al. Early Versus Delayed Flow Diversion for Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Meta-Analysis.

World Neurosurg · 2019 · PMID: 30822578
Vascular

Patra DP, Savardekar AR, … Mohammed N, et al. Repeat Gamma Knife radiosurgery versus microvascular decompression following failure of GKRS in trigeminal neuralgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

J Neurosurg · 2018 · PMID: 30485193

Common Questions

Questions patients ask
after a brain tumor diagnosis

What is a neuro-oncologist and why do I need one after a brain tumor diagnosis? +

A neuro-oncologist is a physician who specializes exclusively in brain tumors and cancers of the nervous system. After a brain tumor diagnosis — whether glioblastoma, astrocytoma, brain metastases, or CNS lymphoma — a neuro-oncologist coordinates all aspects of your cancer treatment, working alongside your neurosurgeon and radiation oncologist to create a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan.

What is glioblastoma (GBM) and what are my treatment options? +

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), also called grade 4 astrocytoma, is the most aggressive primary brain cancer. Standard treatment includes surgery followed by concurrent radiation and temozolomide chemotherapy (the Stupp protocol), then maintenance chemotherapy, and in many patients, tumor treating fields (Optune). Molecular markers like MGMT promoter methylation and IDH mutation status are critical in guiding therapy. Clinical trials offer additional options and are available through my practice at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke.

What does grade 4 astrocytoma or malignant brain cancer mean? +

The WHO classifies brain tumors on a grade 1–4 scale based on aggressiveness. Grade 4 astrocytoma includes glioblastoma (GBM) — the highest-grade, fastest-growing primary brain cancer. The 2021 WHO classification also incorporates molecular markers (IDH mutation, TERT promoter, EGFR amplification) to more precisely define each tumor's biology and guide treatment. Early referral to a neuro-oncologist is critical.

Cancer has spread to my brain — what is a brain metastasis? +

Brain metastases occur when cancer from another part of the body — most commonly lung, breast, melanoma, kidney, or colon — spreads to the brain. Treatment depends on the number and size of lesions, the primary cancer type, and your systemic treatment options. Approaches include stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife), whole-brain radiation, surgery, and targeted or immunotherapy agents that cross the blood-brain barrier.

Are clinical trials for brain tumors available in Roanoke, Virginia? +

Yes. I am actively pursuing CTEP registration and NCORP affiliation to bring NCI-sponsored brain tumor clinical trials directly to Carilion Clinic in Roanoke. This means Southwest Virginia patients may be able to access investigational therapies — including novel immunotherapy and targeted agents — without having to travel to distant academic cancer centers.

Do I need a referral to see Dr. Mohammed? +

Referrals from primary care physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and oncologists are welcome. If you or a family member has received a brain tumor diagnosis and would like a neuro-oncology consultation at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, please call (540) 581-9914.

Location

Brain Tumor Doctor Serving
Roanoke & Southwest Virginia

Carilion Clinic – Riverside 3 3 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016
Neuro-Oncology Program

Appointments (540) 581-9914
Carilion Clinic Neuro-Oncology

Coverage Area Roanoke Valley · Lynchburg · New River Valley
Southwest & Central Virginia · WV border region

Academic Affiliation Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Carilion Clinic – Riverside 3 · 3 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016

Get in Touch

Schedule a
consultation

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a brain tumor or complex neurological cancer, I am here to help. Referrals are welcome from all providers in the region.

For urgent neurological concerns, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.