Inside a senator's brain

Brain cancer is the toughest of all. My father had glioblastoma and was dead within 4 months of diagnosis. There is nothing good to say -this is where hospice care becomes a real necessity.

Have the senator's doctors considered the Gamma Knife procedure. My father had the procedure done 5 years ago and within 2 months his brain tumor's had shrunk and he was cancer free. It was a fairly new procedure at that time (2003), not known to many and performed by only 1 doctor in Michigan. Unfortunately, a year before my father's Gamma Knife procedure, the first time his lung cancer had metastasized to his brain, he underwent whole brain radiation, killing the good cells along with the bad, and that was ultimately the cause of his death. I hope this is something Senator Kennedy's doctors are considering.

I thank Dr. Gupta for telling the "story" of Senator Kennedy's misfortune. Much of the journalism regarding this disheartening news has not been medically focused by an expert.

I am also impressed with the idea of a functional MRI. It would seem to me that one would want to conduct more and more research on, say, lower primates to discover how much of a healthy brain can be removed when attempting to remove the entirety of a malignant mass, and still have a functional patient. I understand that most cancer research monies are aimed at the more universal cancers and not the rarer or difficult-to-treat forms.

Had a seizure the summer after my first year in college. It was quickly diagnosed as a left temporal astrocytoma, about the size of a golf ball. That was in 1988. My parents found the most compassionet and well know neurosurgeon at University of Callifornia at San Franciso, Dr. Charles Wilson. The turning point was meeting with Dr. Wilson prior to surgery, who has that sweet grandfather smile, and hearing him say, "I take these out all the time, no problem". I was out of the hospital in 5 days, ran a couple 5K's that summer and went back to college to graduate with a BS in mechanical engineering in 1992. I am now 39 and have had MRI's for the last 19 years each validating the tumor is gone. I think mindset has a huge influence on a human bodys abilities. Bedside manner can make all the difference in the world.

I have been living with a Pineocytoma, diagnosed by Hopkins, for the better part of 12 years and each day I realize how lucky I am to have been given the better of two diagnoses, cytoma or blastoma.

Your article has presented a glimpse of the surface of what is going on in the world of brain tumors and has also provided a view of a simple fact – brain cancers are very difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat.

I am thankful for the various physicians and institutes working to find new and effective treatments such that one day the patients who hear that a mass has been detected can take some relief in knowing that they have a better chance to make it to live out the year, the decade, or better yet, their lives.

Thanks for the article doc.

RP3, NY, NY

I work at an inner city school in San Diego St. Jude Academy. We have a prayer basket and Senator Edward Kenney's name has been added to the prayer basket. He will have prayers said for him daily. We all wish him well.
Students at St. Jude Academy

Would you be able to discuss the cyberknife technololgy and whether or not this type of procedure would be beneficial in this case with the senator

Thank you

God bless Edward Kennedy. He is really a big fighter looking back to what he had encountered in the past. I am sure he will overcome this crisis. Our prayer with him and the whole Kennedy family.

I didin't even read this article because of the title. How invasive can the media get. A senator is diagnosed with brain cancer and you title an article" inside a senator's brain". Please show some respect. His brain in none of your business.

Does anyone know what risks are associated with a possible vaccine or gene therapy to treat the brain tumor?

I would like to ask some questions to better understand this form of Primary Brain cancer. I am praying for his return to the senate to fight for better healthcare reform and especially healthcare respect and honor for older americans.

It is noted in your article entitled, "Paging Dr. Gupta" conventional therapy to treat his type of malignant brain tumor is an option. I'm assuming this treatment would be covered under his and most peoples health insurance plan.
Would both the vaccines and Gene therapy which are considered cutting edge treatment be covered under most health insurance policies?
Please explain the difference between cutting edge therapy and experimental or trial studies?

My Mom died from glioblastoma this past November. She was diagnosed last February after she went to doctor with complaints of having trouble with her right hand and leg. The doctors made it pretty clear that at most she could last a couple of yeas. She lasted 9 months. There were some high points that gave our family hope. But there were also many low points constantly reminding us all of the inevitable. The last few months were the worst and I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. She will always be missed. My thoughts are with the Senator and his family.

Dear Dr. Gupta,
I am sad to hear the case of Senator Kennedy and one wonders what exactly could be done to save humans from this problem. I have a daughter who has some strange form of epilepsy, which attacks her at anytime. EEG and MIR in UK has revealed nothing and endless drugs seem to do very little to suppress the attacks.
What other possible solutions could be tried. I know not of any advanced diagnostic solution that could determine what to avoid or do in order to reduce the attacks.
Any ideas?
Dr. Mapuranga

The very first time I read an explanation enabling me to understand and comprehend what is said and meant immediately. I will return to Sanjay Gupta's post regularly! Thank you doctor and editors.

While treating a brain tumor with radiation therapy, what prevents the radiation beams from affecting the healthy brain cells and not just the cancerous cells??

Last year our son at the age of 39 was diagnosed with a golf ball size Level II glioma between the two hemispheres. He had no symptoms and the tumor was found by accident when doing an MRI for his thyroid. The MRI was done from the top of his ears down and caught the bottom of the tumor. His original group of doctors said go home and die but he obtained a second opinion. It was removed at UCLA and followed with radiation and physical therapy. He is working full time now and you would never know he had cancer. He did have a tumor on the thyroid, but not cancerous and the doctors have given him at least 10 years to live. We are in hopes there will be a cure during that time especially since these things tend to return. My suggestion is to do research as much as possible and stay informed.

Dear Dr. Sanjay Gupta,

Please look up on deep abdominal breathing by Swami Ramdev for his claim for the cure or the control of the diseases of the body.
I did not believe in him either until I sat down and try to undersatand the benefit of extra oxygen on the cancer cells.

He says:
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Is there a relationship between this tumor and cell phone use?

Hope is real.
My wife's dearest girlfriend was diagnosed two years ago this June with a very aggressive form of glioblastoma. She's had two surgeries, followed by radiation and chemo (twice).
She's alive, taking care of herself, though not driving because of past seizure events, but enjoying life as much as possible. She's had some slight speach imparement and walks with the aide of a cane.
BUT SHE'S ALIVE AND THANKFUL 700 + days after her diagnosis.

What about Nimotuzumab, a new drug being developed by a Canadian company called YM Biosciences? I think it is especially designed to treat glioma. I read about it in a recent article on new drugs in development.

You know what bugs me about Ted's condition? It's because it's got everybody talking about brain tumors and I'd prefer not to hear about it if you don't mind.

I had a brain tumor a few years ago and had surgery and chemo. I'm doing well, but the thing about these tumors is that one of the only things doctors can tell you for sure is that they always come back...and when they do they're hungrier.

So, my answer is to not live my life as one of these heroic survivors, rather to just try and ignore it to the best of my ability and go on living. I refuse the survivor mentality to take over my life.

That's why I'm bugged by having to hear about brain tumors every time I turn around the last couple of days.

The Kennedy family has had there share of life changing events such as this latest "Brain" tumor event. It would seem to me that the best thing he can do is to have the surgery and get most of the tumor and then take chemo and radiation treatments until he can no longer take the treatments. Who knows what lerks in the minds of our great scientist and surgens these days.....there could be a cure out there just waiting to be found. I only hope that we keep searching, not giving up just becasue of the percentage of survival is very low. I lost both my parents to tragedy like this and I want the Kennedy family to know my family is think of them and wish them best of luck!!

Please check
St. Joseoh Mercy Hospital–PO Box 993–Ann Arbor Mi 48106
this is a fairly new procedure–called Cyber knife-it is sometimes used for inoperateable tumors–it is a knifeless surgery–please get this message to Ted Kennedy's surgeons–they can reach this on the internet–i have been there and they really are fantastic
Learn more at http://www.sjmercyhealth .org
thank you
phone # on net

Is it possible to freeze that part of the brain that has the cancer and then use a laser beam or something like that to take out the cancer part. Or stop the blood flow to the cancer. I've heard about these type of treatments; could it be used to help the Senator?

Could Burzynski's therapies work here?

Whil I do not agree with Sen. Kennedy's politics, I do see him as a genuine American – full of spirit, conviction, determination – all of those things that separate the want-to-be greats from the truly "Great Americans".

I'm saddened by this development. He and his have been through enough. My throughts and prayers to his whole family. The fact that he smiled as he left the hospital today speaks volumes.

Best Wishes, sir.

Joe

Dr. Gupta:

Thanks for the excellent description.

Two months ago, my 75-year-old mother was diagnosed with a glioblastoma. It was 5 by 5 by 5 centimeters and the specialists said that with treatment, she would be lucky to live a year.

The surgeon only removed 95 percent of the tumor, as it was resting against the brain stem. Still, that was a positive move and my mother was ready to fight the cancer with radiation and Temodar.

Sadly, my father died in early April and my mother decided to forego treatment. As much as I want my mother to live, especially to watch her 4- and 6-year-old grandsons to grow up, I respected her decision.

My mother is a seasoned volunteer with Visiting Nurses and Hospice and has seen cancer patients of all varieties. She weighed the risks and rare rewards and opted to live out her remaining weeks on her terms.

And while it pains me to see her deteriorate before my eyes, I admire her courage to welcome death.

I feel for all brain cancer victims and survivors and pray that Sen. Kennedy and his family will find the right path to take.

And whatever path is chosen, we should not question or doubt the motives or desires. As my mother impressed upon me, this is about having diginity in dying. I look at it as dignity in living ones life up to the very end. I'm sure that is how the Kennedy family is viewing their situation at this time.

I find it upsetting and shameful how the media is already eulogizing Senator Kennedy. Although usually a fan of Dr. Gupta's, I found this piece to be condescending. Out of respect for this man please allow him and his family the privacy they so deserve at this time.

There is a treatment undergoing numerous trials now (Phase 2) that appears to be successful with many types of cancers including Glioma. It is called Reovirus. Should be easy to find under the title Reovirus or Oncolytics Biotech.

Why can’t Senator Kennedy’s Surgeons try using the New Experimental Treatment for Cancer Tumors? This New Experimental Treatment involves using Nannites and Sound Wave to heat up the Cancer Tumor!

The Surgeons would inject the Nannites into the Cancer Tumor and then apply Sound Wave to heat up and cook the Cancer Tumor, without destroy any of the surrounding Brain Tissue!

Therefore, destroying the Cancer Tumor in the Brain-period!

Hearing that someone has a cancer of any sort is truly a painful thing.
I feel that with advances such as the fMRI and the tumor vaccines he might just stand a chance (especially since cost most likely won't be an issue in limiting his treatment).

I bet that his odds of surviving this are extremely high due to his will to live, his pocket book, and access to the best medical teams money can't buy. We'll see, and the best of luck and hope to Senator Kennedy.

Glioma is an ugly diagnosis for both patient and family members. My father passed 8 years ago from a GBM eighteen months after his initial diagnosis. He had surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible followed by radiation therapy and eventually the stereotactic radiation. I am aware some advances have been made with alternative therapies and am hopeful that one of them would benefit Senator Kennedy and others with with Glioma's. Family, friends, prayer, a strong spirit and a good sense of humor help to fight this battle. My heartfelt prayers are with entire Kennedy family.

My father died of a glioblastoma a year ago on May 8. He was a very strong person mentally and physically. He walked my baby sister down the isle on September 30, 2006 and a week and a half later he fell in the yard planting trees. He could not walk. We had no idea what we were about ready to find out. After a number of tests, X-rays and MRI's it appeared my father had a brain tumor and to bring it a step further the worst kind, a glioblastoma. I can not explain what is was like to watch a perfectly healthy person from the day you were born, to not be able to walk, talk and sometimes not even know who you were. My father went through months of radiation and chemotherapy and my family was optimistic that he would be the one to beat this thing because he was so strong and he knew we needed him. My father fought hard, but as the treatments went on his body got weaker. When you're body is fighting such an aggressive cancer it is hard to fight other sicknesses you develop. He developed an infection in his blood and it spred to the rest of his body because he had very few white blood cells left and later that night he passed. He fought hard. My heart is with the Senator and his family.

I was watching your discussion on Mr Kennedy"s brain tumor last night on CNN with Wolf Blitzer. You did a good job ..but you were repeatedly pointing to the right parietal lobe and calling it the left. ( I noticed it because I am a radiologist)

I am very curios about this... How many people in America have this now? How many are diagnosed every year? In my small world I already personally know two people who have had and have died from brain tumors.(I know quite a few more that have died from other types of cancer.) As for the brian cancer there seems to be no demographic that it hits. Young, old, male, female..... Could this particular brian tumor in Sen. Kennedy effect his judgement? He seems to be happy and laughing in the pictures released. Is that typical? It seems from your description that he had a "grand mal" (?) seizure. Can a smaller less violent seizure be a sign of a brain tumor? The questions just keep coming into my head.

Too bad that for Dr. Gruber's Phase II clinical trial that the enrollment criteria specifies a maximum age of 70. Also, bears mentioning that in order to make an "immunotherapy" out of GBM–if that is what Sen. Kennedy has–that the patient needs to first have surgery so that the cancer can then be "loaded" onto the patients dendritic cells, before injecting the loaded cells back into the body. Sen. Kennedy could always pay for a compassionate use Phase I trial, if he wants... it's just that that requires a descent amount of work with the FDA.

Kennedy's doctors should look at Peregrinne's COTARA , which has been successful in shrinking gliomas and consequently prolongling a person's life. The company is located in Tustin, California and has several novel approaches to eliminating cancer.

Thanks for this excellent explanation.

My dad has a Grade IV Glioblastoma and is on the road to recovery. He was given 1-2 years to live, based on his age and health stats. Although we did do the standard-of-care chemo and radiation, we also did several "alternative" treatments. His tumor is now dead. The doctors can find no living tumor tissue.

These alternative methods included a bio algae concentrate called BioSuperFood (http://www.bioage.com/) which was used on victims of Chernobyl with great success. We also used a bovine lipid treatment and ayurvedic massage. The treatments being discussed in the news are not the whole story. The FDA does not write the book on health or medicine.

Besides the examples above, there is also a leaf extract developed by a Dr. of Pharmacology in Brazil which has been shown to be 75% in killing the kinds of cancer on which it is used. It's first application in the US was on a Glioblastoma patient who was cancer-free within 3 months. He has tried to get this treatment FDA approved but cannot afford the $40 mil he would need to raise for the tests.

My sincere hope is that Sen. Kennedy explores these holistic options and experiences the kind of "miraculous" recovery people like my dad experience regularly when they venture outside the world of conventional Western medicine.

If you want to read more about where cancers come from and how you are intrinsically responsible for your own health, read Anatomy of the Spirit by Carolyn Myss. It will change your life. May your days be filled with grace and love, Sen. Kennedy.

Dr. Gupta,
Is it possible that Mr. Kennedy could be partially paralyzed or be unable to walk if he were to have another serious seizure? Does it depend on where the tumor is? Anyway, I'm thinking that his doctors would have him on anti-seizure medication. He is in my thoughts and prayers. Very scary diagnosis for sure. Thanks.

Most tumor based Cancer can be cured through natural means.
Except there is no money to be made on something you can't Patent.
And one can't patent anything that occurs naturally.

Please check out "The Rick Simpson Story" and pass the information along to everyone who is STILL suffering from this CURABLE disease.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rick+simpson+story&search_type=

My father died from a glioblastoma in the late 80's after having survived it for 8 years – at the time we were told he was the longest survivor known. However, his & our quality of life was gone forever. He basically laid in a vegative state for years in a nursing home. He initially had surgery with a follow-up of both chemo and rediation therapy. His tumor was in his left frontal lobe. It was so large when they found it that it had cracked his skull bone. He was a brilliant man, steadfast & determined man in excellent physical shape when they found it at age 52 – maybe that had something to do with his survival. It appears we have made very few advancements since his diagnosis and treatment. He was treated in Little Rock, AR.

There are huge strides being made in the treatment of glioblastoma. I was diagnosed over a year ago and my prognosis is very good, I had a clean resection and am on one of the vaccine protocols. I know many survivors who are into their second decade cancer free and the numbers are growing daily. The media needs to report on this aspect instead of clinging to 10 year old data and uniformly grim prognosis. The NY Post in a gross act of irresponsibility ran the headline "Ted is Dying." This is serious stuff indeed but for many people, it is not a death sentance.

What about the gamma-knife. The robotic laser type of radiation? thanks

My mother was diagnosed with a glioblastoma in 2004 and she wad diagnosed about the same time as Senator Kennedy. It was in May right before Memorial Day. Her brain tumor was the kind that did have the tentacles. It is just earth shattering news when you hear that someone you love so dearly and so young would be gone in less than a year. I do not like to think about my mother's illness and hearing about Senator Kennedy's tumor brings back some of the memories and helpless feelings that my siblings and I went through. I remember her doctor telling us that she will not be in any pain it will more painfull and stressful for us and he was right. My sweet mother passed away with such dignity, grace and loveliness seven weeks after her diagnosis. We live in Nashville, Tennessee and she had a wonderful team of doctors. I will always remember she said "I am climbing Mt. Everest with a club foot" and "my children are my treasures"....I miss her and I hope one day someone will be able to cure this horrible envasive cancer. Thank you, Tami Goldstone

I don't know it is relavent or not. Not too long ago, I started noice that Senator Kennedy's left eye looks smaller and with a vague looks. Do you think that could be a symptoms of some kind of neurological disorder? My sixth sense is that it is the indication of something which is not normal.

My father was diagnosed with a grade 3 malignant glioma astrocytoma on his temporal lobe and it was beginning to push against his brainstem. 2 surgeries later, the best coming at Mayo in Minnesota, he is still here 3 years later after undergoing chemo and radiation. There is still some of the tumor left in his brain, but he keeps fighting on.

Does anyone find it tht this would happen at a time when an ABC prime time show, "Grey's Anatomy," would be following a plotline similar to the technique mentioned above involving injecting engineered viruses into the tumor?

While there may not be any good news at this point, concerning Senator Kennedys brain cancer. There a couple of good points to think about. He has had a full life and a great career, he also comes from a great almost royale family and they will all surround him with their love and support, no matter the outcome. He has their loyalty. Good Luck from us all.

My mother was diagnosed in May 1998 with glioblastoma grade 4 after emergency surgery to remove the tumor and her prognosis was 6 months. She then went to Dr. Selker at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he told her that every cancer is different and every patient is different. She underwent some experimental treatment and just last week, passed her 10 year anniversary of the ordeal. I know that the statistics are against you, but spirit, willpower, and good health insurance can help beat the odds.

Six months ago Kennedy had surgery on his carotid artery to prevent clots from entering the brain. Didn't and shouldn't the doctors have done extensive scans on his neck and head to rule out any clots having already entered the brain prior to such surgery -- I am not a doctor, but feel I certainly would have expected at least a brain scan prior to carotid artery surgery, when strokes and the brain are the purpose of the surgery. Such a tumor certainly would have been seen on such scans and six months ago an aggressive tumor would likely have been smaller and perhaps more treatable.

THESE PATIENT STORIES ARE QUITE INTERESTING, i HOPE TO READ MORE OF THEM . PERHAPS SENATOR kENNEDY'S CASE WILL ILLUMINATE THE CHALLANGES OF TREATING BRAIN CANCERS AND MAKE MORE FAMILIAR to all readers WHATEVER ADVANCES IN TREATMENT EXIST

Thanks for presenting this process so succinctly. I have been engaged in cancer research for several years since medical school and have specifically been working on these brain tumors (glioblastoma multiforme – also known as GBMs). They are one of the worst diagnosis to have and are the most common form of adult brain tumors. Even more frightening is that in the last 50 years, the survival rate has not improved dramatically. In the research world, we are at the cusp of understanding how these cancer populations arise, survive, and spread. With the human genome complete and the field of cancer stem cell biology slowly growing, we hope to realize the true biology of these malignant cancers. Recently, however, the true roadblock to progress has been finding sources of funding. I think its incredibly important for the public to come to realize how important public funding of research is to the progress of these fields, and in the last several years these sources of funding have dried up considerably. I think its important for the public to demand their lawmakers to encourage science education and science funding to truly see improvements in the treatment of diseases. We have the ability to find cures for these diseases, its just a matter of realizing how important a priority it is for the American people.

I am glad to see that we are all now discussing Senator Kennedy's illness and the various prognoses for him. So often when cancer strikes, family, friends, and even the patients huddle under a tent of denial, leading to horrible consequences to family and friends when the patient finally does die of it. Often this leads to plans to sue the doctors or the hospital. I do not see any reason to withhold the diagnosis and the prognosis from the patient, family, or friends. Because of this kind of behavior, my sister, who died of bone cancer at the age of 44, wrote her will the night before she died, when she could no longer speak. Can't we do better than this? Lynda, Newton, MA

This is a devastating diagnosis. My father also died due to glioblastoma, in his case 6 months after diagnosis, the last 3 of which were spent in a coma. One of the toughest parts is watching the personality changes – after all, we ARE our brains and when the brain is damaged we become someone else. Ted Kennedy is one of my Senators and I've never been a supporter of his policies, but I feel very badly for him and his family because I know what they have ahead of them.

Both physicians & patients would do well to read Dr Gupta's blog. Dr Gupta has carefully chosen his words & the concepts he has used to cover Sen Kennedy's condition. Dr Gupta used simple American English & commonly know concepts to explain Sen Kennedy's condition. Since he practices at a teaching hospital & a presenter on CNN-he had to learn American English & how to describe arcane medical events with simple, basic concepts a layman knows of to teach his students & his patients. It may not be brain surgery or rocket science but it is neurology. It's also American medicine in the 21st century.
Dr Gupta tries to explain a condition in common terms. Dr Gupta may feel that his patients will cooperate more fully if they know how their disease or condition works as he treats them. He probably is right.

There is a reason that glioblastoma multiforme is known as "the terminator," and I pray to God that the good Senator from Massachusetts does not have this, the worst of the gliomas.

There is a cure for all diseases, including stage 4 and 5 cancer and aids. Dr. Hulda Clark has clinic in Mexico, and has been curing people of all kinds of diseases, esp. cancer. She is a research scientist and naturopathy doctor. Check out her website and be blessed. http://www.drclarkuniversity.org or google her name and you will get all her information.

My mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma back in 1993. She had the tumor removed by Dr. Dacy in BJC St. Louis, did the basic radiation/chemo but wasn't working well. She was then referred to MD Anderson in Houston for experimental injection therapy. At the time this was very new. She did well for 2 years on this therapy but the tumor came back and did not respond as well to additional therapy, she lived for another year. We were told it was a miracle and we were lucky she was with us for 3 years with this type of cancer. I had always hoped they would come across a more reliable therapy for future patients and that maybe something they learned from my mother would help. My heart and prayers go out to the Kennedy family.

M J Murray–you are right that the radiation beam can affect healthy as well as cancerous cells. Newer forms of radiation therapy (such as proton therapy) are designed to minimize this collateral damage. Nonetheless, damage to healthy cells is a major problem in all forms of cancer treatment–which is why, for example, people's hair often falls out during chemotherapy. Luckily, the body often has the reserves necessary to come back from these necessary medically-inflicted injuries.

My dad was diagnosed with malignant glioma a month ago. The surgery went very well and he now is undergoing a combination of radiation every week day for a month and a half in combination with chemo in pill form. He will be having an MRI next week to confirm or deny the presence of the tumor. From then, he will continue to have to take the pills for the next six months one week a month. The best thing to do is stay informed; talking to the doctor about the tumor is the best way to do it and not through information on the internet since most of it hasn't been updated and every case is unique.

I watched Dr. Gupta's report on CNN yesterday and found it interesting, but kept wondering what stage the malignancy is.

When Sen. Kennedy was released today to return to Cape Cod, I could not help but be concerned whether his trip home reflects a choice to live his remaining days (whether a few months or whatever) at a favorite location, or simply the apparent step of leaving a hospital to consider and consult with experts to decide on the best course of treatment. I hope it is the latter.

Answer to M J Murray,
My understanding is that brain nerve cells do not divide very often. The radiation kills cells that are dividing, for the most part. Over time, about 3 years, normally, healthy cells do die from radiation therapy, gradually, though. This is a problem with radiation therapy to the brain. However, as a radiologist once told me, the brain can really withstand being "blasted" with radiation more than some other parts of the body.

I am wondering if a procedure called "embolization" could be used.
This cuts off the blood supply to the tumour.
I read in the report that these tumours do not spread.
The surgery is minimally invasive.
This would decrease the need for aggressive chemo and radiation.
Fibroids are often treated in this manner, as well as liver tumours.
Also.. wondering if diet has contributed to this.
I have read that alcohol fuels lung cancer, so I am curious as to if things like this can aggravate conditions.
Thanks for your time.
Get well soon, Senator Kennedy
(=^..^=)
Diane Higgins

Why can't we have MRI scans done every 6 months to detect these things when smaller instead of wating for symtoms ?

My mom had brain mets from breast cancer, she was almost cancer free for two years when she had a facial seizure. CT scan gave us the very devastating news, she had a tumor on the right side of her brain.
We went forward with gamma knife procedure, chemo and radiation in an attempt to save her life. Her cancer was agressive and would not go away. She passed away recently, at the age of 51 after fighting for 15 months after the diagnosis.
God bless the Senator and this family on what they will go through during this battle! Keep strong!!

Check out this guy......... http://www.kanziuscancerresearch.org/

My prayers are with the Kennedy Family as they engage in yet another harrowing trial.

I too am from the Boston, MA area and I have survived three brain surgeries, for a different diagnosis, I hope that Senator Kennedy will triumph or retain a good quality of life for as long as his body is able to hang on.

I extend my prayers for comfort in this difficult time

I recently lost my wife of 35 years to a glioblastoma multiform level IV. It took only four months to go from the first minor symptoms to the final moment of life. The cancer was located in very much the same area as Senator Kennedy's tumor, and to quote the neurosurgeon who performed the biopsy / surgery, "it was like kicking a hornets' nest". I'm sorry to say, that from the informationI have gathered, the most positive of mindsets and bedside manners can do nothing to stop this kind of killer.

Seems like so many have cancer these days. I have never heard of so many cases. It does not matter if you are rich or poor

I noticed on the computer representation of a brain CT scan Dr.Gupta keeps pointing to the right side of the brain to indicate where the tumor is when the Senator's tumor is reported to be on the left (CTs and MRIs are read from the bottom). Given his neurosurgical background I doubt it is ignorance. So is he doing it to avoid confusing non-medical viewers?

My daughter was diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma at age 21 between her junior & senior years of college. She was diagnosed after she had a seizure. This was absolutely the worse day of my life. Since that time, she has had three brain surgeries for recurrences, but has bounced back each time. Her latest surgery was two years ago at M. D. Anderson, a place that is a godsend for brain tumor patients. The last surgery they removed most of her right frontal lobe followed by six weeks of radiation. After her first surgery she also had radiation and after the second surgery she had a year of chemo. Today, she is active, working, driving, riding her bike, camping, etc. She is a walking miracle! A brain tumor can take an awful toll on everyone involved including family. After 7 years of worrying daily about her, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer...I am sure the stress I was under had everything to do with my diagnosis. Today my daughter and I are cancer free. I pray every day for more money to put into the research to find a cure for brain tumors. This is an awful disease that tends to strike people in the prime of their life. My prayers go out to Sen. Kennedy and his family. I hope he will go to M. D. Anderson and opt for their cutting edge treatments and clinical trials.

My experience unfortunately, is much like Ronald's. My Dad was diagnosed with a glioblastoma on September 7th, 2007 and passed away February 8th of this year-5 fairly difficult months of radiation and chemo. Thankfully, we were able to keep him at home (where he wanted to be) with the help of hospice. He was 75 and the radiation and chemo was just palliative in nature (to slow the progression of the tumor) and did not make him sick.

Anyone involved in medicine, especially such intensive sub-specialties like nuro-surgery, I'm sure, have seen miracles occur in many cases where the prognosis was grim. The science will eventually lead to the molecular level; DNA-RNA replications, gene splicing, stem-cell research and even tissue transplanting. The therapy mentioned above regarding the Brain Tumor Vaccine is really exciting!
President Bush, and those on his platform against stem-cell research, needs to do more research and take a new stance instead of blocking the very research that could, perhaps, save Ted's life or the lives of their own loved ones.For the senator, and all who suffer from these maladies, may God bless you and keep you.

June 17, 2006 I had a busted brain aneurism; I had taken myself to the hospital and arrived here about 30 minutes later I was being moved into surgery. I was given the best doctor who happened to be on duty. Dr. Richard Stovall. He explained it to be and told me I had three options 1 do nothing and die, 2 a wire wrap or # clip. I was given a very low chance of survival in fact I was dead twice on the table. But I have survived it and almost two years later there is little pain and I am back to work enjoy my life.

Tomorrow my father would have been 75 years old. Last November he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme stage 4. His only symptom was loss of balance, and later, weakness in his left side. He never complained of a headache, never was nauseated, never had a seizure. He died of complications from pneumonia on Valentine's Day, three months to the day of when he was first diagnosed. For him, the location of the tumour made it too difficult to treat. He refused to let it conquer him and kept fighting to the end.

I send my wishes to Senator Kennedy and his family, and to everyone else who is fighting against cancer.

And Happy Birthday Dad!

My mother was diagnosed with a gbm in October 2003 and July 24, 2004 I kissed her for the very last time. I wish the Kennedy family and all those living with this diagnosis strength. Please that, although not known to me, those afflicted by cancer and their families are in my thoughts and prayers everyday.

Most tumor based Cancer can be cured through natural means.
Except there is no money to be made on something you can’t Patent.
And one can’t patent anything that occurs naturally.

Please check out “The Rick Simpson Story” and pass the information along to everyone who is STILL suffering from this CURABLE disease.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rick+simpson+story&search_type=

I was treated for prostate cancer four years ago at Loma Linda University Proton Treatment Center in California. Mass General in Boston is one of only four other places using proton beam treatment. I know it has been used successfully for brain tumors, among other types of cancer. I have heard no reference to proton in regard to the choices Sen. Kennedy's doctors are considering. I'm wondering if they have given this consideration.

I'd like to pass along that I really appreciate Dr. Gupta's reports.

Senator Kennedy's predicament has me at a loss for words. I care much more deeply than I realized and was very moved by Senator Byrd yesterday.

I WILL PRAY FOR HIM. HES AN AWSOME SENATOR!

Two words: Gamma Knife. Dr. Aizik Wolf in Miama, FL. He's an incredible doctor. It's an effective procedure.

If i were the Senator or a member of his family i would sincerely look at the work of Veech at NIH and Tom Seyfried (canny recall which Uni he's at) vis ketones and cancer cell growth
Ketones it seems do not fuel cancer cells..infact they starve the cancerous cells and have anti-inflamm properties too.

Also ketones(plse don't confuse thsi with ketoacidoscis as many who might know better do) fuel the brain and heart around 20-25% more efiiciently than glucose

My father was diagnosed witha brain tumor at age 50. He noticed a "metallic taste in his mouth" and behaved oddly before the diagnosis. He also felt ill. This was in 1979 and he was given 6 months to a year to live after a biopsy was done. The tumor was the size of a large lemon and was deep rooted, according to doctors. Surgury was not an option. He received radiation and chemotherapy. Amazingly, he lived for 5 years. The last year of his life was really bad and the last month or so was unbearable for him. I wish this on no one, and of all possible things in life, brain tumors scare me the most.

4 yr brain tumour (ganglioglioma) survivor here. After surgery performed by Dr Linda Liau and her talented associates at the UCLA Neurosurgery department (http://www.neurosurgery.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=32), I returned to a pretty much normal life, almost "as if nothing ever happened".

Dr Liau's research is particularly interesting. They are pursing immunotherapy treatments for brain tumours, with the ultimate goal of developing vaccines that will direct the immune system to target and eliminate them, no surgery required.

Some of you who have watched "Surgery Saved My Life" on the Discovery Channel may have seen Dr Liau discuss this treatment on the following episode:
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/surgery/follow-up/awake-brain/liau.html

For anyone else out there, don't ever ignore recurring or severe headaches, even if they seem to go away by themselves for a time. Tell your doctor and if possible consult a neurologist. After the last episode I had of extremely painful and debilitating headaches, I saw one who prescribed an MRI. Two weeks later I was on the table at UCLA getting fixed up. The earlier the problem can be identified, the better!

My 50 year old brother was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma. He has had one surgery in December 2007 to remove the tumor and under went radiation and chemo for several weeks. The tumor did come back so now they are treating with the drug Avastin (sp) and more chemo. The tumor has become more of a cloud with no edges and he will go through another MRI May 29th. We are keeping up with good thoughts and a positive attitude that he can beat this. He's also in great shape ( fireman).
I send my best to Senator Kennedy. I have always admired him and the Kennedy family.

My beautiful 18 year old daughter valiently fought grade 4 glioblastoma at UCSF and Stanford for 10 months. Under the docs' guidance we proceeded with radiation & chemo.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have never had her go thru the agony of it. She passed away 3 years ago next month.
A horrible disease- may God bless Ted and his family.

While Dr. Gupta was pointing to the left side of the image, I would wonder if this new imaging format for MRI is meant to look at the brain from "the top down", so that the left side of the image is the left side of the brain (I think that this is the case based on what was happening to the sagittal images as he moved them).

Interestingly, I believe that the original Siemens scanners looked "top down"

I remember when I was about ten years old, 43 years ago, and thinking I wouldn't have to worry about cancer or heart disease because they would surely cure the problems before they affected me.
I was wrong.

Last November a member of my family was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme tumor category 4. After surgery, the doctors recommended Chemo and Radiation which helped for about six months. However, the drugs that you have to take tear up your upper GI system. That is often what harms the patient. The medicine.There is no cure. Each person has to prepare for the worst. Doctors are only able to treat and comfort. Sadly to say, after 6 months and 3 days we lost our loved one last week. Our prayers and thoughts go out to all cancer patients. And, of course the Kennedy's.

Don't spend six months of your life in a chemo/radiation stupor/discomfort.

Take a risk on an integrated medicine approach. There are alternative antiangiogenetic supplements that can stop cancer growth and shrink them. Try embolization and finish it off with gama knife surgery or proton therapy. It works. There is hope for the senator. Chemo will just trigger the formation of other cancers in his body, weaken his immune system and hasten his demise..

God bless.

I'd like to wish the Kennedy family the best of luck in their endeavours to get Ted kennedy the best possible treatment available. God speed Ted...we love you and our prayers are with you and your family.

The senetor had a TIA event 6or 7 months ago, according to my understanding. Don't rou think that a MRI and MRA would have been done at that time, and if nothing was picked up than at that time, than it must be very fast growing tumor, with unfortunately worse prognosis?
God bless Senator Kennedy; a fine genteman and a great leader indeed.

Watching and learning about Ted's seizure from CNN on TV, my sister and I looked at each other and questioned "brain tumor?"

In 1986, my mother immediately had a blank mind after being fine in the morning. I took her to the hospital. There she had a seizure. The doctor said it may be a stroke, but discovered nothing wrong with her brain via catscan. She did have some more catscans that week, but nothing was found. From that day, she got her memory back and was pretty much fine.

Several months later, her memory was apparently lacked. Everytime she tried to say something, but kept saying she forgot. So we took her to the University of Wisconsin-Madison hospital for further test.

That was when we learned about the brain tumor, similar to Ted's. It was inoperable. My mother was given a year to live. She tried radiation and the tumor was still growing. The next step was to have chemotherapy.

After some chemo sessions, the tumor was shown bigger. My family and I decided not to continue the chemo. We wanted to see our mother enjoy several more months being alert, rather than being sick from the chemo. Indeed, my mother got stronger and alert, enough for us to think that she would live longer than a year. Yes, she lost some of the vision and memory but it was not bad.

Unfortunately, she died at age of 57, exactly a year after discovering the tumor in her brain.

It was more than 20 years ago.

The technology has been way advanced since. I do hope Ted gets better treatment that will prolong the time of his life.

Our thoughts will be with Ted and his family.

Deb

it's easy to see from the pathophysiological characteristics why grade 3 and grade 4 astrocytomas are so difficult to treat as primary tumors. could someone explain why metastatic disease to the brain seems more sensitive to treatment? once poorly differentiated cells with immortal germ lines invade the brain from a primary source, it's hard to imagine why they would be more treatable than primary tumors of the brain. is the cell type of the primary tumor what distinguishes the two? for example, if a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma has metastatic brain disease, is this type of brain mass easier to treat because malignant hepatocytic cells are easier to treat than malignant glial cells?

(Correction from last entry)!

Why can’t Senator Kennedy’s Surgeons try using the New Experimental Treatment for Destroying Brain Cancerous Tumors?

This New Experimental Treatment involves using Metallic Nannits and Sound Waves to heat up the Cancerous Tumor!

The Surgeons would inject the Metallic Nannits into the Cancerous Tumor and then apply Sound Waves to HEATUP and COOK the Cancerous Tumor, without destroying any of the surrounding Brain Tissues!

Therefore, the Metallic Nannits and applied Sound Waves would destroy the Cancerous Tumor in the Brain-period!

I saw this new procedure Reported on Nightline News Channel 7, California time!

I'm 43 years old, non smoker/drinker healthy man, last month I was diagnosed with Grade IV Glioblastoma and I’m giving about 2 yeas to live. I just started the trad chemo & radiation therapy along with a new -trial med at UCSF couple days ago. Jon Howard. in your blog you said your dad had the same thing, where was he treated?
I feel for all that have or had to go through it. I have 2 boys, the youngest is 6 months. It's really hard on everyone.
I know I will fight it, whatever it takes, I will fight it.
Good bless us all

My Dad was diagnosed with primary glioma last November 8, surgery removed all the tumor. He then had chemo and radiation, which we were told is protocol. If I knew then what I know now, he wouldn't have had the radiation, it sapped his strength and allowed opportunistic infections to wreck havoc on his body. Dad passed on April 10th, cancer free and poisoned by radiation. This diagnosis is an awful one and my prayers are with anyone who faces this illness.

The national agenda needs to prioritize funding for cancer research and prevention so that the disease, in all its forms, goes the way of polio. Senator Kennedy has access to the top-of-the-top and best-of-the-best in medical care. Not until everyone in our country has the same access can we consider ourselves a just society. Cancer is an equal opportunity invader; more public funding to abolish it is money well and fairly spent.

The SETH Group brings together scientists dedicated to pursuing the most hopeful treatments for cancer. We are open-minded skeptics who believe that carefully controlled experiments can reveal if there is truth in novel therapies that might be integrated with conventional medical treatments.

Herbal compound kills brain cancer cells – but not normal brain cells. After 20 hours of treatment at the same concentration, only brain cancer cells died.

EVIDENCE OF SELECTIVE ANIT-TUMOR ACTIVITY OF THC TO BE PUBLISHED IN PRESTIGIOUS NEURO-ONCOLOGY JOURNAL

PIONEERING WORK ON HERBAL COMPOUND PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS AND ONCOLOGY

As a young navy hospital corpsman stationed at Bethesda I had a patient that was a glioblastoma patient. He took almost a year to die and it was not pretty. I hope we can do better for the good senator. Your explanation of the condition and prognosis is the best I have ever seen. I also admire your work in Iraq.

What a nicely written article!
It had to be a senator and celebrity disease to form this community. Dr Gupta, why dont you lead an e-based community. This portal can have major parts of body as its "silos". You dont have to answer questions, rather post a weekly written article and like above let the community connect with each other. I am sure someone in the Technology group at CNN can host this. This could be different from Web MD or other pharma based portals out there under your name which is become a significant brand name. Make it non-commercial. Please ask CNN to go easy with the pharma ads that this site will get swarmed with.
My best friend AT died in 2005 at Johns Hopkins, of oligo dendro glioma. He was 38 and fought this disease for 8 years. I wish such information was available out there easily on famous web sites.
SP

A good source of information is the American Brain Tumor Association. They are on the web and will send information free of charge. Dr. Gupta's article is good, but doesn't go into much depth. My father died of an inoperable brain stem GBM three years ago.

If Senator Kennedy's tumor was biopsied it may be operable or can have gliadel or other chemo implanted at the tumor site. His age is working against him. I am sure he will get the best care available. Cedar Sinai in California is one hospital that is doing some more advanced brain surgeries.

Yeah I feel bad the guy has a brain tumor but here's the rub... Thousands and thousands will be spent without abandon on his medical care but if it were you or I, Joe citizen you KNOW the insurance companies and hospitals would all be having a field day with how much MONEY should be spent on someone close to 80 and who is most likely going to die in a few years anyway.

I really appeciate Dr. Gupta's explanation as well as the thoughtful responses in this forum. My heart goes out to everyone who has or has had this disease and their loved ones. I hope we make some progress in dealing with it soon.

Regarding the Radio Frequency treatment being tested >The newest procedure is still in it's last stages of testing BUT...I am sure the Senator would be willing to try this. It is a radio wave treatment and is located at:
M.D. Anderson Hospital (Texas?) and there is more info at: http://www.kanziuscancerresearch.org/

I'm 57, I was diagnosed with Thyroid disease, Graves disease, Hodgkin's disease, diabetis, Parkinson's and now it looks like Hodgkin's again. Please give the senators my best.

Mark .
Dayton Ohio

Count your blessings every single day. Nothing is guaranteed in life. You have something today…poof…it can go away tomorrow.
Everyday I come to realize that we need to be thankful and grateful for what we already have

My mother was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma on February 13,2006, my birthday. Luckily, they got it diagnosed and treated in time..she was in remission by July of '06, and is currently still in remission. We are so thankful, that she has a doctor that knew what signs to look for, and the advancements in medicine. My prayers are with Senator Kennedy and his family.

i would like to know if in fact when the original operation was done on the senator back in the fall and various diagnostic tests were done including i am sure visual...was not the tumor apparent at that time i understand that it was on the same side of the present tumor and just above the area
can someone answer or comment
all our good thioughts and strength for the senator and for what lies ahead for him

I am sorry to hear of Senator Kennedy's diagnosis of a brain tumor.
It will no doubt be a difficult time for the Senator and his family.
My sixteen year old daugther was diagnosised with a grade II glioma three years ago, a tumor located in the same area and similar to Senator Kennedy's. She has been through two surgeries and now beginning her second year of temodar chemo. The size and location of the tumor makes it extremely risky to remove anymore of the tumor as it would certainly affect major brain functions.
The news of a brain tumor is devastating news to a family.
Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children under the age of 20, and the third leading cause of cancer death in your adults ages 20-39.
In light of this news, I hope our government will come to know how horrible this disease. This is a cancer that so needs to receive the publicity it deserves. Most of all awareness!
Let's continue to support research and NIH.

It's ironic that Ted's situation has come up in the same time as my mother's. She was just diagnosed with a GBM 11 days ago, and luckily we are pursuing treatment at Mass General Hospital's Brain Tumor Center in Boston. It's been a very rough several weeks as we've waited to find out what kind of "growth" was seen on an MRI in March after what we thought was a mild stroke. Unfortunately my mother put off initial surgery for several weeks because brain surgery is scary in itself. Plus, it was a small 'lesion' or growth in March that seemed to merit a re-look in 6 weeks to see if anything changed. Unfortunately, it must have changed quickly: a subsequent brain bleed episode rushed her recent a brain surgery/ partial tumor resection and our family has been given the diagnosis. I've read such horrid stories about GBM and it's frankly very overwhelming. Having it on news headlines is good and bad for us all right now. Good because it raises awareness, but bad because it adds to the feelings of being barraged with gloom and morbidity.

My family members are Massachusetts people who've loved the Kennedy's for decades. You can't NOT if you are from the state.
I feel for the Senator and his family right now- I can certainly relate to what they are going through.
On this site, it's good to hear lots of different stories about people who have been down this road. Some stories are more hopeful, but I am also trying to wrap my head around the realities of Gioblastoma Multiforme. I know it's about location and size of the tumor when caught, so I can't help but be worried. Nobody wants to see loved ones suffer in this way.

In Canada last week, a robot at the University of Calgary removed a brain tumor from a 21 yr old. It was developed by the same people who made the Space Shuttles robotic arm. Here is a quote. "The neuroArm met all our expectations," said Dr. Garnette Sutherland, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Calgary's faculty of medicine and a Calgary Health Region neurosurgeon, in a statement about last week's surgery. "The manipulators and controls performed flawlessly, providing extraordinary control and extreme accuracy. The success of this procedure is expected to revolutionize neurosurgery." All Canadians are praying for a speedy recovery of Senator Kennedy and hope this technology will be of some help for the Senator.

After my father was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme, he lived only three months. During the final weeks, he could not speak or swallow and was completely immobile.

Having hope and wishing for a miracle are only natural, but no one should underestimate the severity, virulence and aggressiveness of this type of brain tumor. The decline in quality of life is very rapid.

I know there are many things that my father wanted to say or pencil out to us, as well as questions that we had for him, but he lost those abilities virtually overnight. My point is for a loved one to not delay any communication that they wish to have.

How common are primary brain tumors such as malignant glioma? Is brain cancer more often the result of metastasis from breast or other form of cancer?

In November 2004, my husband Tim had a seizure and was diagnosed with GBM (glioblastoma multeforme) and was given 10 months to live. His tumor was also on the left side of the brain, but sounds like further back than Senator Kennedy's. After surgerical removal of tumor, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments, in February 2005, they said the tumor was back and was in fact larger than before. They shortened his life expectancy to weeks and told us to get our affairs in order. We were recommended to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas where Tim was part of a surgical trial using a drug "IL-13". The team at M.D. Anderson is absolutely great and I would recommend it to anyone! Tim is now cancer free – over three years and no signs of the cancer returning. There are doctors that say GBM never completely goes away and it will return. There are other doctors that say, if it were still there, it would have shown itself by now. Either way, Tim has beat the odds, and plans on being part of the 5% that only live 5 years after GBM diagnosis. Although, all the doctors were fantastic, the real credit goes to God and all the prayers lifted on Tim's behalf. There is power in prayer!

After caring and treating cancer patients for over 20 years as a Radiation Therapist I want to express my concern that one must stay very positive and look at all the options very carefully. Radation Therapy has proven to be a success for many patients and one must remember that technology has revelutionized the options when it comes to treating patients. Ultimately it is our creator that decides when and how we move form this world to the next. While we wait for that calling we must remember our past, live for the present and still dream about tomorrow. God bless Mr Kennedy and keep his family strong to support him through this journey.

Dear Good People
Just go to the bottom first to the other news story if my long verbal rant seems like too much hot air I am very sorry for the man BIG TED and his combined families, two of his kids have cancer so he and they have to know how serious it is. He is the last of the family and he has always had other family members and paid helpers to ease the burden that often falls entirely on one person or a small family in the ordinary world of brain tumors, He is without a doubt, a great man of our times and big part of American history the past 40 years, I pray for him to have a full recovery, I know several aggressive bt survivors who have survived now for 5 and 10 years thanks to advances in treatment options that he and his family will automatically have full access to get for him. .

The problem I see with all the press blitz of Kennedy's possible malignant diagnosis as a international story was they kept reporting it as the most prevelant type of primary brain tumor, and that is simply not acccurate. I am probably the only one besides Samantha Jane bothered by this common reporting mistake...and maybe they will correctly diagnosis him later on, I do hope he lives a lot longer, and I do hope he can mantain a good quality of lifeas long as he lives. I didn't know he just had heart surgery six months ago, if he had a head MRI then, they might have another clue about how fast it is growing and what grade it is now.

However, ordinary hard working folks in America do not have access to the same quality of care. and I wish the media would focus on the so called "benign" low grade primary brain tumors, because like in this story below where a dozen large primary benign brain tumors were diagnosed in seven months in one small town of 8500 and they still didn't know they needed to report it to public health officials there.
This other terrible story got no national coverage at all in the USA GGRRRH! And benign primary brain tumors get little or no medical research funding either cuz they are low grade, because no one want to use the word cancer, but they are usually either grade I or grade 2 according to WHO the World Health Organization classification. Therefore the needs of the chronically ill annd their family members for direct patient home caregiver health care and relief, like a visiting nurse, longterm care, family counseling and cognitive retraining services for reemployment and community reentry services are not covered by ordinary health insurance and are less generous because they still claim it is not brain cancer when there is recurrence of tumor or gradual progression of chronic disease.

First, I want to express my own concern and sorrow to the family and friends of Ted Kennedy and to the families and citizens of Cameron, MO, and everyone around the world who has lost someone to a malignant primary or secondary brain tumor, I focus most particularly on those diagnosed with a low grade primary brain tumor and their families who have to continue to fight and deal with our broken health care system for enough care as long as they live, I've been there and done that myself. the past twenty-two years. Second, because of the small population of Cameron (8,312), 12 brain tumors newly diagnosed over a period of 7 months is not due to chance. In other words, there is something hidden in Cameron causing these tumors...and no one knows what is affecting the central nervous systems of all these folks of all different ages. We ought to be checking their medical history, their genes and cognitive behavior and sleep patterns too, not just take more soil and water samples. What else do they have in common? What about their drug use or personal stress levels in relationships at home and on the job that can effect their body chemistry and immune system or behavior? What about the old analogue phones, everyone only reads about controversy over modern cell phone use now, including excessive dental x rays from forty years ago or medical use of diagnositic x rays anything that disrupt the electrical/chemical balances inside our bodies and can cause certain cells to mutate and grow abnormally.

The 2004 USA brain tumor incidence rate (latest available data from http://www.CBTRUS.org) was 16.52 brain tumors per 1,000,000 people per year. Therefore according to the available data, Cameron, MO would see about 1.4 brain tumors per year. And so in a 7 month period this would be 0.80 brain tumors, or less than one. The observed to expect ratio = 15 (12/0.8). The probability that this ratio is due to chance is 6.4 x 10-11! (I got these numbers from my dear friend Llyod Morgan, a board member of CBTRUS)

THIS STORY ought to get IMMEDIATE MEDIA ATTENTION, there is only one chance in 738 MILLION that this number of brain tumors in a small rural town of 8,312 people in 7 months is due to chance. And it is happening in other places too, and still we lack reliable medical data about incidence and prevalance of this disease and military and indian hospitals do not have to contribute their medical data to the national cancer registry..

I want to know why there aren't thousands and thousands of other longterm bt survivors like me, in more than twenty years I have only met a handful of others online and at conferences that are still functionally alive after standard treatment of more surgery and then more radiation , even if this is a benign condition, it certainly is not harmless and neither are the only available standard treatments.

We need to change our dictionaries or at least our vocabulary in order to even begin to understand the real risks to us and our family members of mutations of abnormal central nervous system cell growth in this country. And why do hospital errors still kill more people than breast cancer in this country?

There are 5 states, and Missouri is one, that is not certified by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (www.naaccr.org) and Missouri brain tumor incidence data is not included in the brain tumor data set (45 states) sent by the Center of Disease Control (CDC) to CBTRUS. But only nineteen USA states have published completed 2004 reports on all CNS central nervous system and benign brain tumors. ,Arizona where I live was one of the first dozen to comply with the federal law.

The KMBC TV news article below incorrectly states, "Doctors are only required to report cancerous brain tumors to the Health Department. Most of the tumors in Cameron are large, but benign. So there is no official agency collecting the data." Apparently, even the local MO State Rep. the Honorable Jim Guest had the wrong information.

Years ago, I helped introduce the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act into both USA Houses of Congress. It finally became law in 2002. This law requires every state cancer registry to collect all brain tumors ("benign" and malignant). US Federal law requires the Missouri Cancer Registry collect all brain tumors, "benign" and malignant so the news report is probably incorrect. There are still many problems with funding, data quality, computer glitches and lack of timely reports, to be more polite.

According to the most reliable data I know of (only 19 states have published 2004 reports on all the low-grade brain and spinal cord tumors even though it is the LAW) and we are still waiting patiently (not me, I am practically jumping up and down now, a decade after we marched on Washington DC ) to have copies of the fully analyzed results proving terminal malignant primary brain tumors are not nearly as prevelant as the many other types of slow growing so called benign central nervous sytsem tumors by a long shot (still only documented by a small majority as far as I can find, and IMHO they have begun to reduce the WHO grades assigned to some of the other gliomas and former death sentences and thankfully some of those folks are now living longer too)

Even a benign brainor spinal cord tumor can totally disrupt your family life, if you are treated locally by a mostly back or spine surgeon without a skilled neurology intensive care unit staff, and especially if it happens to the famly bread winner, or perhaps a single or divorced working mother? If she has neurological deficits and can't go back to full time work at the same job level, the whole family suffers financially and after the breadwinner loses a job, then the family all lose health insurance (how can you pay Cobra if you can't pay your rent etc etc) so begins the downward emotional and financial tumble spiraling down for many folks and their families onto public welfare, and the other spouse has to try to become both caregiver and breadwinner, what an enormous burden to carry alone without suffering from caregiver burnout and it is mostly women who find themselves caring day to day for a parent or a child and/or working too, no wonder women have higher rates of depression.

Then they can't get public health care insurance from medicare for two years because of the 2 year waiting period, even if it is a high grade primary tumor, or traumatic brain injury, well a lot can happen in two years if your spouse or partner leaves you when you have survived a brain tumor, even if you survive the initial treatment and you look fine to everyone else, but they send you home without any cognitive retraining for mild brain injury or the emotional trauma you may have suffered. Talk about wounded warriors, these folks in Cameron ought to qualify for the health care they want to pass right now for our soldiers on Tricare, but ordinary health insurance is not required to fully cover all the acquired brain injuries from low grade primary brain tumors or mild brain injuries so we struggle along trying to be normal even with mild acquired head injury when it takes us longer to mentally process our thoughts or focus well enough to write them down and find a logical solution.

Did you see a news story I saw last month about a benign primary meningioma brain tumor patient Kathi Goertzen? She is a popular Seattle Washington news anchor woman who has returned to work after two surgeries and two types of radiation and just had a third surgery in ten years for a small golf ball size meningioma,and may still need more brain radiation treatment now GOD Bless HER and HER HUSBAND who has stayed by her side!

In a small town in Missouri they will not be getting the state of the art care that Sen.Kennedy gets automatically as a celebrity etc etc I hope he has a full recovery and I hope the dozen folks in Missouri can get to a regional brain tumor center, like U of Birmingham, Alabama so they will have a better chance of full recovery too like Kathi Goertzen who may not be able to return to work this time for a while longer . I almost could go on writing forever I am so passionate about this "not harmless" issue, and I know you don't have enough time to read everything I ramble on about, but thanks for reading this far to find out how I am handling the big news of Kennedy's terrible illness. To be completely honest, I still remember TED for his cowardly behavior after Mary Jo K died in the bridge accident many years ago which certainly isn't Christian or even politically correct to bring it up now as he fights for his life from brain cancer. He continued to lead Congress in civil rights and immigration issues that are important to me etc . He was no lion in those days, but he has grown up and he is certainly no stranger to family tragedy on a grand scale. I pray for all since it is not my job to judge others . His whole family has sacrificed for this country regardless they will always be part of our great American history.. . Thankfully, I saw on TV he went out on the water as soon as he left the hospital to get away from it all. . I also love the quiet power of the ocean off Cape Cod. I still remember the feeling of absolute power and control I get on the water with the wind behind me in a tiny sailboat traversing over and through the waves of Cape Cod Bay. I have been truly blessed by the roots and wings of my own large Irish Catholic family in this country and the support my family provides me. Too often I take my own loving family for granted. God works in strange ways we will never understand, Sen Kennedy, is a true lion now, I wish him well and will continue to pray for him and his family.

Here is the tiny article from Cameron Missouri i got from dear young brave Samantha Jane Scolamiero, founder of the http://www.Braintrust,org in 1993, The article came out about the same time as Kennedy's possibly malignant diagnosis. Please read this Missouri news article God bless em.... God bless us all
http://www.kmbc.com/health/16330197/detail.html

GBYAY Anne McGinnis Breen
President of a local tucson group of adult survivors of brain injury, part of the BIAAZ , a Chapter of the Brain Injury Association of America
See my smiley face winking at you? &;>)
Keep your faith, cherish your reason, treasure your mind, hold to your own good purposes...and be not afraid.
If you would like to visit my Aol journal pages to read more about me and 28 questions to ask you medical team about any low grade primary brain tumor and other grey matters about brain tumors of great importance to me go to
http://journals.aol.com/anne91547/anne-mcginnis-breens-articles

Please see that Senator Kennedy is evaluated for the possibility of the use of the Harvard Cyclotron to treat the tumor.

Let's start focusing on prevention. I'm convinced that proper diet and lifestyle can forestall nearly 100% of all cancers and heart disease. I have just gotten the GBM dx after nearly 2 years of clean MRI scans. after anaplastic astrocytoma IIII dx in 2005 and chemo, radiarion, & surgery.

Dr. Gupta,

I have heard that the Anthrax Vaccine can cause brain tumors. Is it true that not only our military, but also our government officials have had the vaccine, if so, is this being monitored to see if it has been causing brain cancer in anyone who has been given the vaccine?

James

I have a question about being deprived of sleep, if Dr. Gupta is right and most people fall asleep after just ten minutes then what does it mean when it takes you hours to get to sleep every night?

Even with a patient awake and talking, how do you know that you are going too far without going too far. Do you touch cells and if the patient's speech slurs, you don't cut? ..know what I mean? .. I doubt you can undo... How do you know where to draw the line without impairing the person to some point?

Also, did you notice when Senator Kennedy raised his right hand, his left arm was at his side and hidden, and he seemed to limp a bit favoring his right side. Could there be a deception and this affects his right brain? And if so, is the brain the same on both sides?

Thanks, Doug

Although only an ignorant layman on this subject, I'm interested to know how widely know it is that although these very skilled brain surgeons are often able to remove all or part of cancerous tumors, they have not solved the problem...here is why.
There is now mounting evidence amongst very prominent cancer stem cell researchers that the cancer stem cells which are the real drivers of the tumors, cannot and are not able to be removed through surgery and can easily regrow the tumors at some later stage, so until researchers discover a cancer stem cell targeted drug, the cancers will probably not be cured.
I wonder too if surgeons such as the highly rated Dr.Liau are fully aware of this and inform their patients about the surgery limitations.

IS IT POSSIBLE CANCER COULD BE CONTAGIOUS? I HAVE SEEN THE SAME CANCER, NAMELY PANCREATIC, AFFECT BOTH A WIFE AND A HUSBAND!

Nice quality blog post, very usefull information. thanks

I wasvery impressed withyour reportsand I decided to ask a question from Dr Gupta My wife is 85 years old and suddenly after an mri she was diagnosed with a meningioma.benign . She has to take Trazadone and zanax to sleep. Is this the meningiomacausing it.and do you think we should leave it alone as she also has High blood Pressure and cataract . your comments will be appreciated and not binding.. Ralph Bardowell

Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!

The only way to know for sure was to cut the skin above this tumor, drill a hole in the skull and insert a probe through the brain square into the middle of this mass. The goal here is to remove small pieces of the fibrous tough tissue and examine it under a microscope. It’s likely that the pathologist looked up from the microscope with a concerned expression when he saw the telltale cells that are consistent with a malignant glioma, a brain tumor of the very worst kind.
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