According to the American Brain Tumor Association 52,236, Americans were diagnosed with brain tumors in 2008 and 22,000 of the tumors were malignant. This disease affects family and friends as well as the patient. It is important to seek diagnosis and treatment early.
Symptoms vary according to the type and size of the tumor but some of the most common ones are:
Headaches, usually worse in the morning
Nausea and vomiting
Changes in ability to talk hear or see
Problems with balance or walking
Problems with thinking or memory
Muscle jerking or twitching
Numbness or tingling in arms or legs
Vision problems
Gradual loss of sensation or movement in arm or leg
Difficulty with balance
Confusion in everyday matters
Personality or behavior changes
Seizures, especially in someone who does not have a history of seizures
The good news is the survival rate for brain cancer patients is on the increase due to new treatments and clinical trials for brain tumor patients. There are many organizations devoted to helping you or a family member go through this trying time.
The National Brain Tumor Society offers free caregiver workshops throughout the U.S. as well as support groups, clinical trials online message boards, education, and financial help with related but non-medical expenses. Visit them at http://www.tbts.org or call
1-800-770-8287.
The American Brain Tumor Association located in Des Plaines IL., offers; caregiver pen pals, clinical trial information, and education. You can reach them by calling 1- 800-886-2282 or http://www.abta.org
Musella Foundation a 501(c) non-profit is located in Hewlett, NY and offers clinical trials and noteworthy treatments, free online book for recently diagnosed individuals, on- line support groups, a list of brain tumor centers with many of them giving free scan reviews. Contact by calling 888-295-4740 or visit http://www.virtualtrials.com
National Cancer Institute: U.S. National Institute of Health offers education, research, clinical trials, genetic testing, statistics, library, on-line booklet, live on line chat help, and news on latest treatments. Phone 1-800-4-CANCER or visit http://www.cancer.gov