Brain Oncology Center Lighting the Path for Brain Cancer Treatment and Research

A diagnosis of brain cancer can bring even the strongest of people to their knees. Brain cancer is perhaps the most serious and feared form of cancer. If the brain tumor is not detected until advanced stages of brain cancer, then removal of the growth may be impossible. Upon being diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer, many people want to learn as much as possible about their prognosis, treatment options and survival rate. Even when palliative care is the only option, there are several courses of treatment to extend and improve the patient’s life.

 The goal of the Brain Oncology Center of Houston is to help patients, their families and their loved ones make educated decisions about brain cancer treatment and symptom management. When learning about brain cancer, many patients don’t know the difference between glioblastoma, brain lymphoma, a glioma tumor, brain melanoma, a cerebellum tumor and other types of brain cancer. Once the patient fully understands the type of brain tumor he or she has, we can then begin discussion options for applicable brain cancer treatment.

Several factors affect the survival rate of people with brain cancer. The type of a patient’s brain tumor, including whether it’s an aggressive brain tumor, plays a large role in determining a prognosis. The most common type of aggressive brain cancer is glioblastoma, and the glioblastoma survival rate between one and two years when treatment is administered. Brain cancer staging is also important when determining the life expectancy of the brain cancer patient. If the metastatic brain tumor has grown to a more advanced state, then treatment options including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy may be less effective. Early brain cancer detection is crucial for patients to have the best possible prognosis.

For early brain cancer detection to occur, patients need to be aware of the symptoms of brain cancer. Unfortunately, many signs of brain cancer are often confused with symptoms of other illnesses, and medical attention isn’t sought until the cancer has progressed and symptoms grow worse.

Early symptoms of brain cancer include:

• Constant headaches
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Difficulty speaking
• Dizziness
• Numbness or loss of movement in limbs
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Memory loss

 As the aggressive brain tumor increases in size, space inside the skull becomes tight, putting increased pressure on the brain and resulting in more aggravated symptoms. This is why many people with brain cancer don’t seek help until their tumors have a point of advanced brain cancer staging.

A metastatic brain tumor occurs when cancer that begins in another part of the body – such as the lungs, breasts or colon – spreads into the brain. The occurrence of brain cancer metastases is just as dangerous as any other aggressive brain tumor, including glioblastoma. To treat metastatic brain cancer requires the same degree of caution as treating other types of brain tumors. However, the incidence of brain cancer metastases is rising as cancer patients are living for longer periods of time.

Metastatic brain cancer research is ongoing, paving the way for more effective treatments and clinical trials. The metastatic brain cancer life expectancy for patients is currently very low, but improved brain radiation therapy, brain tumor chemotherapy and other methods of treatment are expected to eventually help improve the prognosis of people with metastatic brain cancer.

The exact causes of brain cancer and other forms of cancer are unknown, but researchers are continually working to gather more brain cancer facts and theories. Brain cancer risk factors include smoking, exposure to certain chemicals and overall unhealthy lifestyle choices. The causes of brainstem cancer and brainstem glioma are equally elusive, but to effectively fight metastatic brain cancer we must someday understand how it comes to be. Through brain tumor clinical trials, research and patient evaluations, our understanding of brain cancer, brain tumors and metastatic brain cancer is continually improving.

The Brain Oncology Network of Houston strives to keep clients, brain cancer survivors and others apprised on the latest developments relevant to this disease. For updated brain cancer news including new treatments, enhanced understandings of causes and other revelations, subscribe to our regular newsletter to have brain cancer news delivered straight to your inbox.