Dec282011

The survival rates of brain cancer – Dare to know your options

By admin on December 28, 2011

The survival rates of brain cancer refers to the percentage of people who reported still alive after being diagnosed with cancer about 5 years ago.

Basically, a brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in the brain and is commonly known as cancer cells. There are different ways in which a tumor can spread. One of them is that it can be a cause of the spread of cancer cells elsewhere in the body or cancer cells are actually coming from the brain itself.

It is true that exposure to hazardous chemicals causes an abnormal growth of brain tumors. It was confirmed that statistically 80% of cancer patients suffer from cerebral oligodendroglioma.

Brain cancer is one of the most curable cancers with a median survival period of one to two years.

Factors affecting survival

A five-year rate of brain cancer survival can be influenced by several factors including tumor size, part of the brain, the severity and stage of cancer. In most cases, the patient’s general health is also an indicative factor of survival.  Read more...

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Dec242011

What is an oligodendroglioma?

By admin on December 24, 2011

At the age of 6 years, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It is more common in adults, so maybe that means I’m mature, but it is assumed that only indicates the lack of fortune.

Oligodendroglioma is a type of tumor that is considered from the oligodendrocytes in the brain. Most of the time oligodendrogliomas occur in adults, only four percent of them occur in children. On average, patients diagnosed with them are over 35 years.

Oligodendrogliomas from an unknown source at this time. Some studies have shown a link to a viral cause, whereas others have found a genetic cause. More than likely, the two causes.

There is no way of knowing whether a tumor is an oligodendroglioma side to take a biopsy. They often take a form similar to a fried egg and a kind of sheath around the cells. This can lead to headaches, dizziness and convulsions. Since oligodendrogliomas may occur in any part of the brain, which ultimately can have a number of symptoms associated with them. For example, vision loss, motor problems, and even cognitive difficulties may result, depending on the location of the tumor.  Read more...

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Dec222011

Back to school after cancer diagnosis

By admin on December 22, 2011

«Back to Normal” means “back to school” for most children who were treated for a brain or spinal tumor. When your child returns to school, you want him to be treated as normal as possible and will require cooperation of professional health education and working with your child to do .. To make the transition back to school teachers and easy school nurse should be encouraged to prepare classmates, providing information about the disease treatment and answer any questions you may have. That teachers and peers know what to expect and give them the opportunity to express their concerns and feelings. It is important that teachers communicate with other students that cancer can not be caught and Radiation therapy is not a child who has the “radioactive”. Such open discussions can eliminate children’s curiosity and make it easier for them to accept your child in the classroom and help them to accept differences of their peers and make them more open and willing to help. Some medical centers offer educational team composed of a worker in the professional life of the child health and can help prepare the class for the return of his son, who in some cases may be helpful.

To make the re-entry into the school environment for your child less abrupt, students and teachers, a slow approach and re-enter the transition to school can be helpful, maybe just lunch, attend specific classes or hiking with the class before returning to school full time. It is important to update your child’s teachers and the school nurse with all your medical information will help your child to school. The best teachers and most are familiar with the operation of your child, the greater the classroom environment can be tailored to the specific needs of your child, regardless of school level, may be returned.  Read more...

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Dec202011

Late effects: cognitive changes that can result from cancer treatment

By admin on December 20, 2011

Interviews with families and patients show that the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is stressful and exhausting, and it feels as if a child survives the surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other issues and complications faced undoubtedly been sufficiently addressed. Unfortunately, survivors of childhood brain tumors often develop problems after the first battle is won in the areas of intellectual ability, academic performance, memory and attention. Cognitive changes are common among survivors of brain tumors, however, to the extent that any change will be effective depends on many different factors, including the location of the tumor and surgery, age at diagnosis and radiation therapy.

Neurological problems such as convulsions and muscle coordination problems are relatively common in survivors of childhood brain tumors. This type of disability often develop around the time of diagnosis or after initial surgery, but sometimes for the first time can appear months or years after diagnosis. Radiation injuries to the brain can, in rare cases cause a delay in neurological problems that can take 10 years or more after treatment.

Neurosensory problems such as blurred vision and hearing can also be developed, both early diagnosis and treatment, and years after treatment ends. Radiation therapy can cause visual problems delayed by different mechanisms. Direct damage to the nerves of the eyes (optic nerves), can rarely lead to changes in vision years after treatment. In rare cases, radiation can cause cataracts earlier in the eye that can interfere with normal vision. If your child has had surgery near the eye or the nerves of the eyes or has received radiation to the head, regular visits to an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) are highly recommended.  Read more...

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Dec182011

Protect your head against cell phone radiation – Play it Safe

By admin on December 18, 2011

When I was young in my 20 years I ran a business and I was very proud of myself, because we were doing pretty well, and the young man, he was very happy with the results currency of each month. In fact, I had one of the first mobile phones, and I was paying between $ 0.60 and one dollar per minute, however, seemed to pay for itself due to the inherent efficiency of rapid communication.

None of my competitors had a mobile phone, however, the best they had these phones repeater must be forced to speak, and were much cheaper either. Needless to say, I found more than 1,000 hours per month on average.

Unfortunately, I knew at that moment we all know about the dangers of cell phones could be the biosystem. It turns out that at the time that the telephones work with 3 watts of power, no, not much. But since the frequency of cell phones were then in the microwave range, which are now, this meant that I was holding the phone to your ear, and was not very good for problems with cell phone radiation. Now, my first satellite phone under the seat of my car, and probably cooked in my seat.  Read more...

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Dec162011

Pediatric brain tumors and brain cancer change the definition of normal

By admin on December 16, 2011

For most of us today started like any other day. We will try our coffee, skim milk in the morning paper, placing children in school and perform the rituals that make up normal everyday life. The good, the bad, and yes, even the little ugly, cover everything with confidence and a sense of comfort, knowing that tomorrow, as routine as can be, let’s do it again.

However, for many families throughout the United States today will be different. Today will be a change of life.

Today …

• Nine families learn their child has a brain or spinal cord tumor;
• Three families mourn the loss of their child to this terrible disease, and
• Six families of transition for survival.

Each year about 3400 children in the United States are diagnosed with a brain tumor or brain cancer. Approximately one third of these children do not survive more than five years, making it the most deadly of all childhood cancers. For the families of these children will never be another “normal” day. Their days are filled with medical appointments, treatment options, and learn to function in a new definition of “normal”.

Fortunately, hope is eternal. The survival rate of children with brain tumors and brain cancer has increased dramatically in the last twenty years. Advances in research have led to better treatments, improve quality of life and long-term prospects for these young patients. However, survival does not bring a new set of unique challenges. Treatments may cause adverse effects in the final of the survivors, the effects ranging from cognitive impairment, physical problems, social isolation.

Partnerships between nonprofit organizations, research foundations and major medical institutions have proven to be an instrument in the fight against these types of cancer in children. By joining forces, these groups are able to connect very best to keep looking forward, to create awareness and provide support to patients and families in need.  Read more...

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Dec142011

The symptoms of a brain tumor

By admin on December 14, 2011

Brain tumor symptoms vary from patient to patient, and most of these symptoms can also be found in people without brain tumors. So the only way to know if he really has a brain tumor or not is to consult your doctor and get a brain scan.

Headache is a symptom that is common to 46% of patients with tumors. He described the headache of a different way and no reason is a sure sign of a brain tumor for many. Perhaps most people have headaches at some point in their lives, so there is no sure sign of brain tumors. You should talk to your doctor if your headaches are different than they’ve had, with nausea / vomiting, aggravated by bending or straining to go to the bathroom.

Seizures: This was the second most commonly reported symptom, 33% of patients reporting a seizure before the diagnosis was made. Seizures can be caused by other things such as high fever, such as epilepsy, stroke, trauma and others. It is a symptom that should not be ignored, whatever the cause. In a person who has never had a seizure before, it usually indicates that something serious and you should get a brain scan.  Read more...

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