Brain Cancer Center

Question: What is the type of terminal, inopperable brain cancer? in which the treatment is injecting endorphins into the pleasure center of the patient's brain?

Answer: It may be glioblastoma multiforme, which is the nastiest brain tumor that I know. It acts like a spider with a "body" (main tumor) and "legs" that spread around the brain tissue. If you remove the body, it just grows back. The legs also wind around areas of the brain vital for body functions & can't be removed. I haven't heard of this treatment before I have doubts that it would help the patient.

Question: Complete Address of Parkway Group Healthcare's Cancer Center,Singapore? They specialized in cancer treatments. I just want to ask how can i send letter for my loved one there who is a patient on that hospital. He haas a brain cancer.

Answer: There are 2 hospitals under Parkway Cancer Centres at Gleneagles and Mount Elizabeth Hospitals in Singapore. Gleneagles Hospital - 6A Napier Road, Singapore 258500 Mount Elizabeth Hospital - 3 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228510 You may like to check with them which hospital your friend is in before you send letter to him. For local and overseas callers who wish to know more about the Cancer Centres, please call PGH CanHOPE Hotline: (65) 6738 9333 Email: CanHOPE@parkway.sg Or you may get more information @ http://www.canhope.com.sg/cancer_centre/index.html

Question: Which centers in Switzerland offer treatment with DCVax-Brain, the Dendritic Cell vaccine for brain cancer? Switzerland has approved the first vaccine for brain cancer, DCVax-Brain (by Northwest Biotherapeutics ) and it is being marketed in Switzerland for use in selected centers. Which centers in Switzerland exactly offer this treatment? What are the top neurology/ neurosurgery hospitals in Switzerland?

Answer: From what I understand the drug DCVax-Brain has not been officially approved in Switzerland, the company hasn't even filed there yet, and the reports were premature. http://www.apmhealtheurope.com/story.php?numero=7473 However, the quickest way to obtain information is to call Northwest Biotherapeutics: http://www.nwbio.com/press2007.07.09.php Contact information is available on the above press release. The second way to locate this information is to place a phone call to a medical facility in Switzerland and ask! It may be available by Clinical Trial. Center of Lausanne Cancer http://www.cancer-chuv.ch/ The third way to locate this information would be to go to an online support group for brain cancer and ask the people there who have probably already checked this out. And, if you are in the US you can get this through a Clinical Trial by calling whoever sponsors the trial. If you don't want to be in the trial, ask about compassionate use. You can often obtain new drugs off trial if you make a request. Or, call the company directly and ask them.

Question: Which medical centers in Switzerland would offer the newly approved vaccine for brain cancer, DCVax-Brain? The new vaccine for brain cancer, DCVax-Brain has been recently approved to use in Switzerland in selected centers. Exactly which centers in Switzerland offer this treatment? Do they accept medical tourists?

Answer: You can enter Clinical trials for this Dendritic cell immunotherapy in the US. If you are not 'eligible' for the specific trial you can ask about 'off trial compassionate use'. Study of a Drug [DCVax®-Brain] to Treat Newly Diagnosed GBM Brain Cancer http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00045968 You can also find information about DCVax. Try calling the company directly to find out which medical facilities will offer the treatment: World's First Therapeutic Vaccine for Brain Cancer Commercially Available to Patients in Switzerland http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/AQM08909072007-1.htm Northwest Biotherapeutics http://www.nwbio.com/

Question: Active Ingredient in Marijuana Kills Brain Cancer Cells? WEDNESDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- New research out of Spain suggests that THC -- the active ingredient in marijuana -- appears to prompt the death of brain cancer cells. The finding is based on work with mice designed to carry human cancer tumors, as well as from an analysis of THC's impact on tumor cells extracted from two patients coping with a highly aggressive form of brain cancer. Explaining that the introduction of THC into the brain triggers a cellular self-digestion process known as "autophagy," study co-author Guillermo Velasco said his team has isolated the specific pathway by which this process unfolds, and noted that it appears "to kill cancer cells, while it does not affect normal cells." Velasco is with the department of biochemistry and molecular biology in the School of Biology at Complutense University in Madrid. The findings were published in the April issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The Spanish researchers focused on two patients suffering from "recurrent glioblastoma multiforme," a fast-moving form of brain cancer. Both patients had been enrolled in a clinical trial designed to test THC's potential as a cancer therapy. Using electron microscopes to analyze brain tissue taken both before and after a 26- to 30-day THC treatment regimen, the researchers found that THC eliminated cancer cells while it left healthy cells intact. The team also was able, in what it described as a "novel" discovery, to track the signaling route by which this process was activated. These findings were replicated in work with mice, which had been "engineered" to carry three different types of human cancer tumor grafts. "These results may help to design new cancer therapies based on the use of medicines containing the active principle of marijuana and/or in the activation of autophagy," Velasco said. Outside experts suggested that more research is needed before advocating marijuana as a medicinal intervention for brain cancer. Dr. John S. Yu, co-director of the Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program in the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said the findings were "not surprising." "There have been previous reports to this effect as well," he said. "So this is yet another indication that THC has an anti-cancer effect, which means it's certainly worth further study. But it does not suggest that one should jump at marijuana for a potential cure for cancer, and one should not urge anyone to start smoking pot right away as a means of curing their own cancer." But that's exactly what many brain cancer patients have been doing, said Dr. Paul Graham Fisher, the Beirne Family director of Neuro-Oncology at Stanford University. "In fact, 40 percent of brain tumor patients in the U.S. are already using alternative treatments, ranging from herbals to vitamins to marijuana," he said. "But that actually points out a cautionary tale here, which is that many brain cancer patients are already rolling a joint to treat themselves, but we're not really seeing brain tumors suddenly going away as a result, which we clearly would've noticed if it had that effect. So we need to be open-minded. But this suggests that the promise of THC might be a little over-hoped, and certainly requires further investigation before telling people to go out and roll a joint."

Answer: Well good! Maybe people will start to be a little more open minded when it comes to using marijuana and hemp as alternate forms of medicine and other things! What a blessing that would be to find a cure for brain cancer!

Question: Cancer Centers of America? I'm just wondering if any brain cancer patients have looked into the Cancer Centers of America and what they've found. I have family members who have gone and had great outcomes, but never for brain cancer.

Answer: There's nothing magic about CCA. They are unique in that compared to hospitals, they seem to embrace complementary and alternative techniques as a means of separating you from more of your money.

Question: I need some information on cancer? well my dad was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer about three months ago. its glioblastoma multiforme. and i have heard that there is a cure in china. if we are a US citizen can we get that cure if we go there. Also does anyone have any info on the center in germany for brain cancer. and information helps! i jsut want my dad to live. and i need some hope. im only 14!

Answer: The treatments you are hearing about in other countries are not real. They will take your money if you go there. This is a very difficult time for you at any age let alone when you are only 14. Your dad will make the correct decisions about his treatments and what is best for the family. The only thing you can do is pray.

Question: Three years ago, I had a brain tumor removed from the center of my brain.....? (Between the left and right hemisphere just above the corpus colloseum. It had my right ventrical closed off and was starting to press into the right side of mt brain. It was not cancer. They called it a menengioma. I called it Freddy Krugger. Has this happened to any one out there besides me that can share their nightmare with me? I take 400 mg. of dilantin a day to prevent siezures and the doctor just cut me back to 300mg per day to slowly get me off them. Next month it will be 200 per day and so on untill I don't take any. What should I expect? I really am afraid. I don't want another siezure. But I want to know if being weined off this drug at such a fast pace puts me in harms way.Has anyone gone through this?

Answer: I just passed my four year anniversary for the removal of my 4 x 7 cm left frontal meningioma. It was pushing the left side of my brain into the right. That first MRI was a scary one. Two years ago, I was faded off dilantin/zonegran on the same slow and steady rate without problem. I hadn't had a seizure, but scans showed "abnormal activity" that could be seizure related. My neurologist said after surgery for a brain tumor you'd expect there to be some "abnormal activity". Dilantin made me so tired it was great being free from it. Good Luck, there are more of us out there than you think.

Question: Kaiser is denying my request for an outside Independent Medical Review of my cancer!? The one Neuro- Oncologist at Kaiser does not review my chemo and radiation. He doesn't return phone calls. It is very frustrating. I requested to have Kaiser allow me to have an independent review at Cedars Sinai (the brain tumor center of Southern California) and they DENIED me. Now I have to go through an appeal process. Anyone else have a similar situation? Very frustrating.

Answer: Call customer service at Kaiser and tell them what has been going on and ask to complain about your oncologist. (Kaiser sent me outside the system for all my cancer treatements and they were excellent.) Ask if you can see someone else--at another facility. It's frustrating, but keep at it.

Question: how do i deal with my mothers recent death? 2 weeks ago. where should i look for guidance in the matter? she had brain cancer, was the center of our family, suffered a lot in the last month of life and all of the family was there to witness it. cant seem to get the details of the last few months out of my every thoughts...help.

Answer: 'I don't have your answer ' I only wanted to give you my condolences How very sadden i am for your lose Three days ago was my youngest sons birthday Four years ago he turned 22 A few hours after the party He was killed by a stray bullet died instantly Some how we all get threw these situations I have no advice except cry cry smile cry And know she loves you And wants you to know how good she is feeling health wise No pain ect Go get em big guy thank you peace

Question: CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS? Anyone know of a cancer treatment centers in NJ? My dad has CLL recently found several small tumors on his brain. and he had a mild stroke. he is now at a nursery home. he needs inpatient acute rehab. but he is not eating because of the radiation treatment. i want to get him out of there. nursery is not helping him. i need information from experience. i have been looking on the web. "so do not send me information that you just think will help me'. by personal experience only thanks

Answer: google is your friend...google nj cancer centers

Question: Can I sue for mental anguish? My doctor ordered me to have a brain mri with the contrast dye. I went in and went through the procedure. They told me that I was done. Then the technician started questioning me about my history, if I had brain cancer in my family, or any other type cancer. On my way home the technician called me and told me that I needed to go to the Cancer center here for the same test. Not the doctor. I was petrified. My whole family was upset at the thought. We had lost a family member to cancer last year. 8 yr old granddaughter. Today the doctor apologized and said that he got on their cases in the radiology dept. My question is , can I sue them for mental anguish because I shouldn't have had to, nor my family members, go through that ordeal.

Answer: I could give you a whole lot of reasons why you can't sue for this, but the bottom line is this: if you think that being told to go in for more testing is "mental anguish" then you're never going to get it anyway. If you sue, you will lose. And you may have to pay the other side's attorney fees.

Question: I have a question or asking for a suggestion about a former sister in law who is, in my opinion a sociopath? THis story is rather long but I will have to cut out a lot of details. My brother, a firefighter died last year of brain cancer, seven weeks after diagnosis. My sister in law who is a nurse, got durable power of attorney and took control. She hated our family, she became abusive to him and yelled at him when we called to see him , I know this because my niece was staying with them and she was baffled at her hatred towards us especially my mother, a mother who lived for her children. she made our very close family suffer during this time, a living hell ,and not only abused my brother but told the firefighters that we were harassing her and following her and heaven knows what else. we as a family were, to some extent shunned by the fire department , all this she did to cover up her abuse. They believed her because she is his wife, but she canceled apppointments with a cancer center, a lot more to this story. My mother has passed away since this. I want people to know the real truth. I don't think my former sister in law has fooled all of the firefighters, but she is very good at showing one face to one group and another to another group. My brother was a very good person, very brave, but one problem- he was weak with women. Mostly this whole problem we had with her is his fault. I am angry with him but I can't help but love him, everyone loved him except his wife. I have not seen her for many months but the anger is still raw. The problem is that she is getting away with it. That is what bothers me. She is respected in the hospital floor where she works and in the fire station and I have said some things about her but the picture of the good suffering wife with the horrible husband's family has been set in their minds and I have to not care but it still bothers me, it isn't right, she was a monster. In my opinion she let him die, she did the minimum to save him. She wanted the life insurance and pension money. She is an anorexic and can look very meek -NOT.

Answer: Greed. That's what I'd base her behavior on. Greed and possessiveness, jealousy, traits of a control freak, mixed in with just pure meanness. But, oddly enough, that doesn't make her a sociopath. It is hard to believe that she was able to fool the entire fire department. I bet if you spoke with a few of your brother's former colleagues, you would hear a different story....At least from some of them. She could not possibly have so totally fooled ALL of them. I certainly understand you being upset over soiling your family's reputation. (Not to mention the mean treatment of him and to you all during his illness.) Do what you have to do to clear your family's name with the firefighters, since what they think seems to bother you the most. Just telling your version to a few of his closest colleagues should do it. Be careful not to run your former-sister-in-law down too much, or it might detract from the truth you are trying to get across and come off, rather, as sour grapes. Just state the facts with as little vindictiveness as possible. Then start looking towards the future, knowing that you have at least tried to set the story straight. Don't allow this evil person to remain your life in any way, shape, or form. (That includes thoughts.) Once you've done what you can to set the record straight, wipe her out of her mind. People like her can act as a slow-acting poison within you.

Question: What does this dream mean? It is certainly very interesting. I think it could be related to my friend dying of brain cancer October 15th, but then I am not sure because I have had some of the symptoms myself. I dreamed that I was basically living my life. Except that it was not my ex husband around me, but my first love that I am with now. I dreamed that I was in a hospital and was diagnosed with brain cancer. When being told I was diagnosed, all cancer treatment centers immediately go through my mind, but then out of laziness, I decide not to fight and just go when God calls me. I am not given very long to live. On the day that I am supposed to be dying, I start panicking and start contacting those treatment centers. I'm just in a hysterical panic in this dream about it and I know that I can't do anything about it. yet something is still fighting and has hope. I think I die, but I am not sure because around the end of it I was woken by my 10 months old son. What is the meaning of all of this? To booh, who emailed me privately and said that I would kill my children and that I am a bad mother without proof because she was proven wrong on another question and NOT chosen as the best answer as I was, get over your ignorance and learn about islam. Dream interpretation is very much a part of Islam. Muhammad (PBUH) goes so far as to say that in dreams, the devil can impersonate anyone but him. There are also interpretations within Islam such as what certain things mean. Another thing, Joseph and his dreams along with the interpretations are in the Quran and highly praised. So again, leave your hatred and turn to God for forgiveness. As I keep repeating every time you email me insulting my family whom you know nothing about and saying my children deserve death, you are only displaying the coward's last ditch effort at discrediting the party already proven right. Move on from your anger. If you don't want me to respond to your hatred with love, then you can stop mailing me.

Answer: It sounds like an expression of anxiety over your friend. I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you. My dad has been dead 29 years and I still have dreams that he is alive. They remind me that I both hated and loved him.

Question: isnt it sad to see someone depart this life... Ted Kennedy? i do not agree with his politics totally but from a family perspective I send my sincere condolences to his family. I would have liked to see him use natural means to treat the brain cancer, or at least a combination of traditional and natural, not that it would guarantee a cure but many times natural medical treatments do provide a cure or at least a better and extended life. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America apparently combine traditional and natural treatments ... I would like to see natural medicine included in a revised health care system for Americans... we should be able to have CHOICES.

Answer: no, Ted Kennedy was a murderer. he is worse than Michael Vick.

Question: Brain tumor/cyst? My son has 3 cysts in the center of his brain. One of the cysts is growing an abnormal cyst/tumor. He has nausea, vomiting, dizziness, falls, loss of vision, feelings of flushing, states the room or different parts of his body are HOT at times, and questionable seizures @ times. Our neurosurgeon is monitoring the abnormal cyst/tumore every 3 months via MRI w/ contrast. We go for our first repeat on Thursday. He was just diagnosed in November. I am wanting to know the name for this type of abnormal cyst/tumor. Our neurosurgeon has FAILED to supply me with a lot of answers. I am frustrated, scared, nervous, anxious, upset and furious as to the lack of knowledge Healthcare Professionals share with mothers. I am a RN and still have no idea what this could be. CAN ANYONE HELP ME? All I do know is that it is abnormal and could be cancer..... My son is 9 yrs old. :-(

Answer: Get copies of all your sons health records including the MRI films (either full size printed out or on a CD that you can view on your computer screen) and radiologists written reports from reading the MRI's. Tell the hospital or clinic that you are getting the records from that you need them to obtain a second opinion. They are yours. You or your health insurance company has paid for them. Do not take "no" for an answer. The radiologists reports of the MRI's will have medical lingo that you will probably understand since you are an RN. Do your own research and find another neurosurgeon who will take action and answer your questions. I has surgery to remove a golfball sized brain tumor 3-1/2 years ago. I had to take my healthcare into my own hands in order to get the treatment I needed. You owe it to your son to do this. Good luck.