By Admin at 11 May 2016, 14:28 PM

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month, so if you see lots of people wearing gray clothing, now you know why. If you want to get involved, choose a day in May to wear gray, and enlist your friends and family to do the same—then let those around you know why you’re going gray in May.

The fact is, more than 688,000 people in the U.S. are living with a primary or central nervous system (CNS) tumor. The majority of these—550,000—are benign, meaning they’re not cancer. However, an estimated 138,000 Americans have been diagnosed with malignant tumors of the brain or CNS.

Malignant brain tumors are considered to be life threatening, as they tend to grow rapidly and spread to surrounding brain tissue. These are different from metastatic, or secondary, brain tumors, which occur when cancer begins elsewhere in the body and then spreads to the brain.

Metastatic brain tumors are much more common than primary brain tumors; it’s estimated that 20 percent to 40 percent of cancer cases later develop a brain metastases.

In the case of a primary brain tumor, however, there are many different types—more than 120. The symptoms vary depending on the tumor type and location. In some cases you may have no symptoms at all. In other cases, you may experience:

• Recurrent headaches
• Vision problems
• Seizures
• Changes in personality
• Short-term memory loss
• Poor coordination
• Difficulty speaking or comprehending

 
Treatment options also vary depending on the type of tumor and its stage. Low-grade tumors, which are not aggressive and are less likely to spread, may be actively monitored only or removed with surgery.

Higher-grade tumors, which are malignant and typically fast growing, may require surgical treatment along with radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapies or, if available, novel treatment issued via a clinical trial.

In some cases, a wearable device that produces electric fields to disrupt the rapid cell division of cancer cells may be used. You may also experience side effects related to treatment, which may include headaches, seizures, anemia, fatigue and more. Your health care providers can help you with options to minimize treatment-related symptoms.

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with a brain tumor, you’ll have many questions. The National Brain Tumor Society has compiled a list that can serve as a starting point for what type of information you should find out before deciding on treatment.

Gateway-Funded Clinical Trial Seeks to Improve Treatment and Outcomes in Pediatric Brain Cancer

Sarah Leary, MD, Seattle Children’s Hospital, symbolizes the future of Gateway-funded research; Dr. Leary is part of a team of cancer researchers that is using scorpion venom and a bonded florescent molecule to fight deadly brain cancer through a new product called "Tumor Paint." Tumor paint is created by utilizing a protein derived from the paralyzing venom of an Israeli deathstalker scorpion. The re-engineered protein, which seeks and binds to cancer cells, is then joined with a fluorescent molecule to create a biological "flashlight". The "paint" bonds to and lights up the tumor with the special florescent molecules that allow surgeons to remove only cancerous tissue while preserving quality of life. Hear more about Gateway-funded research and this groundbreaking clinical trial in the video below.

Source:
National Brain Tumor Society, Brain Tumor Information

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