Department of Neurosurgery Newsroom 

When Chih-Ta Lin, MD, a brain and spine neurosurgeon, found out a close friend had been diagnosed with a large brain tumor, he wanted to ensure they would get treatment at a center that offered the best comprehensive care possible. It was clear to him that the optimal choice for care was the University of Colorado Anschutz. Now, two years later, his friend is in remission, and Lin is joining the  CU Anschutz School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery to work alongside the same experts who treated them.  

“The expertise is just a different ball game than what is provided at a private hospital system,” says Lin.  

Lin knows firsthand that the coordination of care at CU Anschutz makes the entire treatment process as easy as possible for brain tumor patients. In his new role, Lin aims to expand this level of care to other Colorado communities. 

“You have all these different players working around one patient to give them the best possible care,” says Lin. “I’ve always been impressed by that at CU Anschutz. All patients who live in North Denver should have that level of care here.”

Offering all-encompassing care 

After an initial evaluation and consultation with Timothy Ung, MD, Lin knew his friend was in good hands. A nurse navigator coordinates all appointments, and specialists meet regularly to discuss the patients and their treatment options during the multidisciplinary brain tumor board meetings. 

Immediately after brain tumor surgeries on the campus, a tissue sample is banked and sent for research and genetic testing at the CU Anschutz Department of Pathology. Patients are also offered emotional support and counseling led by specialized cancer center psychologists, as well as information on how to join monthly support groups.  

“Help with coordination of care is huge for cancer patients,” Lin says. “A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. CU Anschutz provides that help on top of everything else.” 

Lin noted that his friend joined the BfitBwell Cancer Exercise Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Cancer Center, a program for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy to help maintain a healthy body mass and muscle mass during treatment. Cancer exercise specialists worked with his friend to manage fatigue and improve strength and balance.  

“It’s a whole different level of all-encompassing care,” Lin says. “That’s what you get at an academic medical center.” 

Now, thanks to the care team at CU Anschutz, Lin’s friend is doing well. Lin shares that the only thing they did not like about their care was the regular, long drives from Boulder County to the CU Anschutz campus — an issue Lin hopes to address for other patients in similar situations. 

Addressing ‘a big need’ 

Given his passion for offering comprehensive care to patients, when the opportunity arose to join the CU Anschutz Department of Neurosurgery as an associate professor, Lin did not hesitate.  

“Neurosurgery is a team sport. We collaborate with oncologists, pathologists, and rehab doctors and CU Anschutz has all these connections,” says Lin, who joined the department in February. “It’s about the teamwork and multidisciplinary aspect of things and providing the best possible care.” 

Lin wants to bring the same level of high-quality care offered at an academic practice to his community in Boulder County. In his new role at CU Anschutz, Lin will see patients at different UCHealth clinic locations, and will perform surgeries at the UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont. 

“I couldn’t give that level of care to my patients before,” Lin says. “There is a big need for quality neurosurgery care, and joining CU Anschutz allows me to provide that care in my community and still have all the resources of everyone at the medical campus.”