

Michael Galgano, MD
Director, Spinal Oncology & Spinal Deformity
Vice Chair Hillsborough Operations
Chief Quality Officer
Clinical Associate Professor
The Department of Neurosurgery at UNC Health collaborates with an expert multidisciplinary team of doctors focused on the treatment of both spinal column and spinal cord tumors. Our team consists of internationally-recognized physicians who have made significant clinical and academic contributions to the field of spinal oncology.
Spinal tumors can be broken down into two broad categories: those that involve the vertebrae of the spine (primary and metastatic), and those that originate in the central and peripheral nervous system (spinal cord and nerves).
Our multidisciplinary team understands that being diagnosed with a spinal tumor comes with a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty. Once you have been diagnosed with a spinal tumor, we aim to expedite the initial consultation, workup, and ultimate treatment plan. We value nuanced discussions about treatment options with our patients and their families prior to any decisions being made. Our primary goal is to ensure that our patients are fully informed and understand every available treatment option for their spinal tumor.
The Spine Tumor Program at UNC Health is led by Dr. Michael Galgano, a fellowship-trained spinal oncology neurosurgeon. He specializes in the surgical resection of both spinal column and spinal cord tumors, as well as complex reconstruction techniques. Dr. Galgano has over 70 peer-reviewed publications and is a frequent guest lecturer for a variety of regional and national spine tumor forums. He is a recognized educator within the field of neurosurgery, and has published a large collection of videos detailing surgical techniques for the resection of spinal tumors.
Our expert team of spine tumor specialists meets several times each month to discuss optimal treatment strategies for individualized patient care during our multidisciplinary spine tumor board. Depending on the type of spine tumor being treated, management options may include biopsy, surgical resection, radiation treatment, administration of chemotherapeutic/immunotherapeutic agents, and interventional procedures such as radiofrequency ablation, and vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty.
The UNC Multidisciplinary Spine Tumor Program treats a variety of both benign and malignant spinal tumors:
Metastatic
Primary
Director, Spinal Oncology & Spinal Deformity
Vice Chair Hillsborough Operations
Chief Quality Officer
Clinical Associate Professor
Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD, MBA, FRCP, FAAN, FANA
Division Chief, Neuro-oncology
Vice Chair, Research
Professor
Director of Peripheral Nerve Surgery
Vice Chair, Ambulatory Operations
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor, Radiology, Vascular-Interventional Radiology
Co-Program Director, Interventional Radiology Residencies
Nurse Coordinator, Spine/Nerve Surgery
Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology
Medical Oncologist
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Vice Chair, Business Innovation and Strategy
Chief Transformation & Business Development Officer
Clinical Associate Professor
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology
For appointments, please call contact our Spine Surgery Nurse Coordinator, Katie McDaniel, MSN, RN at 984-974-6225.
Fax: 984-974-6740
UNC Hospitals Spine Center
1350 Raleigh Road, Second Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
UNC Neurosurgery Clinic
Ambulatory Care Center
102 Mason Farm Road, Third Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27599