Brain Cancer Types

Question: Can Herceptin be used for other types of cancer such as brain tumors? since it shrinks breast tumors? My brother n law has a grade 2 astrocytoma brain tumor that is slow growing but still terminal can this drug be used to shrink the tumor since it is too deep to remove all of it.

Answer: Herceptin would only work on cancer cells that overexpress the Her2/neu protein. AFAIK there are no brain cancers that overexpress Her2/neu. I believe ovarian cancer does, and stomach cancer. There are pathology tests they do (ICH and FISH) to test for Her2/neu receptors. One of the distinguishing features of Her2/neu cancer is that it is viciously aggressive ... not slow growing. There are other treatments in clinical trials that have shown some promise for brain tumors.

Question: What is the difference between metastasized brain cancer and cancer that started in the brain? My mother had lung cancer a year ago and although it has not returned, she now has a tumor in her brain the size of a dime. It is cancerous .... so what is the prognosis and what is the difference between this type of brain cancer (where it originated in the lungs) and brain cancer that originiates in the brain. Also, what is the prognosis?

Answer: Cancer originating in a particular organ for the first time is called Primary neoplasm. Metastasis is its secondary spread through blood or lymph. Prognosis really depends on histological type of the cancer but metastasis generally requires more aggressive treatment in the form of chemo & radio because it is wide-spread. My best wishes are with your mother and you as her family in the battle against this cancer.

Question: What type of cancer is brain cancer? I have to do a project on cancer and I chose brain cancer. I have to list what kind of cancer it is (carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, leukemia) and I can't find anything about what type it is. I would really apreciate it if you could also give me a web site with further explanation alon with your answer. Thanks!

Answer: I commend you on your choice for a paper. I have multiple meningiomas. Doesn't sound too bad right? Wrong! Mine are snaking through everywhere in my brain, into my sinuses, in my left eustacian tube, fused into the bones in my face and wrapped around my carotid artery. And this is AFTER they did surgery, radiation and two sinus surgeries. Due to the location of some of the tumors (including the carotid artery), I have what is considered a benign malignant tumors. In other words, the tumor itself is generally considered benign but due to the location it is considered malignant. There are many types of brain tumors: astrocytomas, neuroblastomas, ganglios, meningiomas, etc. What causes them to turn into cancer is caused in part on location, grade of tumor (usually Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 4 - with 4 being the most deadly), size and type. The best place for more infomation is to check out the ABTA (American Brain Tumor Association). Also check the National Institutes of Health, The American Cancer Society and the Brain Tumor Foundation. Thank you for having the courage to do this project. I wish there were more like you.

Question: How long can a person with brain cancer go without eating before death? My bestfriends grandfather has a brain tumor and 3 types of cancer he hasnt eaten in 12 day's how long can a person go without food in that sort of situation

Answer: There are no timelines to how long someone can go without eating before death. Usually, weight loss and no appetite is a precursor to death in some cancers, but not always. If he has 3 or 4 types of cancer, I am guessing that this is incurable and the best thing to do may be to make him comfortable so he can die peacefully, if this is what the family and doctor decide. As a health professional, I would say that a cancer patient who hasn't eaten in 12 days will probably die in a short period of time. If the family chooses to have him admitted to the hospital, they can give him medications that will make it easier for him to eat and perhaps a tube to eat through that will send nutrition into his body.

Question: What are the odds of having brain cancer or any type of Cancer? What are the odds of having brain tumors or some form of cancer if there is no family history of it?

Answer: 1 in every 3 people will be affected by cancer.

Question: Can a stuttering disorder be a symptom of brain cancer? I forgot where, but I read that a stuttering disorder could be caused by brain cancer. If this is true, is it a specific type of brain cancer? If anyone has any idea,could you explain this in an easy understandable way?

Answer: My husband has Stage 4 Brain Cancer "Glioblastoma Multiforme" and currently lost his ability to speak due to 17 brain surgeries, scare tissue built up on the brain, and his cancer (the tumor's location). It is actually not considered "stuttering", they either have slurred speech or have trouble "Word finding" or forming the words. One would mistake "slurred speech" or "trouble with word finding" as stuttering, it is the first word that best describes the problem if we are unfamiliar with the difference. It doesn't hurt to get things checked out, an MRI scan will rule out a brain tumor or maybe there is some type of pressure pushing on that perticular part of the brain that controls one's speech (there are actually 2 sections of the brain which controls speech, a section in the front of your brain, and a section in the back of your brain). Sometimes excessive amounts of fluid or swelling of the brain can cause pressure on those parts which could make one "stutter". Be safe, get whoever is having the issue checked out. Good Luck

Question: what types of rays do neurologists use to stop a tumor or cancer in someones brain? can you pleases say what types of rays nerologists use to stop a tumor or cancer in someones brain and how do the rays get rid of the tumors and the cancer in someones brain. And can you use the rays to get rid of other problems in the brain. Thank you.

Answer: Gamma rays. Google Cyberknife or Cyber Knife

Question: can certain types of brain cancers be classified as benigh? or does the use of the word cancer mean they can only be classified as malignant? What are some examples?

Answer: The other post is correct on terminology. And you also asked for an example of a benign brain tumor. Pituitary Adenoma. This is almost always a benign tumor on the pituitary gland, and it's very treatable. Usually with medication and/or surgery. It doesn't require chemo, and almost never spreads to other parts of the body.

Question: risk of brain cancer in children with family history? about 2 months ago my 1 year old boy ha an MRI. They found a very small nodule in the fluid in his head. Ive read online that if 2 or more family members have they same type of brain cancer your chances of getting brain cancer are increased. Is it the same for children. 2 of our family members have recently passed away with the same type of brain cancer. Very aggressive and spreads very fast. They were both over the age of 40 when they were diagnosed. should i push for a biopsy when we meet with the neurosurgeon?

Answer: The NIH has some studies going on about cancer in families. You should ask your doctor if there is any research. The biopsy is best left to the doctor who has all the scans.

Question: what types of rays do neurologists use to heal tumours or cancer in a persons brain? do they use gamma rays or x rays to stop the tumour or the cancer in a persons brain. And could you also please explain how the rays the neurologists use stop the tumours or the cancer in a persons brain from growing. How do the rays effect the tumours and the cancer to heal them. Thank you

Answer: Just to understand - gamma rays and x-rays are the same thing, just produced differently. Gamma rays are a product of the the radioactive decay of an element. X-rays are generated in an X-ray tube. Side by side, if you could see them, you would not be able to tell them apart. Cancer treatment is performed using x-ray machines. It allows for the generation of very focused beam of radiation, and a very precise control of level and duration, therefore less collateral damage to surrounding good tissue. Often you get a tattoo on your body to mark the spot for repeated therapy sessions. The direction of gammas from radioactive decay is not controllable.

Question: can you treat 2 different types of cancer at once with chemo? A person I know has brain and lung cancer. They have just had radiation for the brain cancer. They are now starting chemo. Will the chemo hit both cancers?

Answer: Usually this is very uncommon that a person is suffering from tow or more 'type' of cancers! A person can have cancer in various organs of body due to metastasis of the primary cancer, but the 'type' of cancer remains same, doesn't matter wheresoever it is present. So the treatment is decided on the type of primary tumor, and the extent of metastasis. In your patients case, it appears that the primary cancer was in lung, and the it metastasized to brain. Yes, a chemo can hit cancer in both the places.

Question: Can Teenagers Get Brain Cancer? Okay can teenager get brain cancer? If so, is there like different kinds of brain cancer and what type do they get? Sorry I'm clueless on brain cancer and I've looked this up this question everywhere can't find anything. Thanks. P.S I'm writting a story, does a novel of a girl who finds out she has brain cancer after showing symptons and then after probably dies sound good or bad? I like sad stories.

Answer: Teenagers can and do get brain cancer. For more information as to types of brain tumors, check out www.abta.org The American Brain Tumor Association has a lot of information for the patient, caregiver, family and friends about the tumors, treatment, recovery, etc. It is known as the Primer of Brain Tumors.

Question: Is brain cancer usually fatal? I've read that some certain types of cancer are nearly always fatal, but what about brain cancer in general?

Answer: There are many types of brain tumors/cancer. The lower grade ones, grade 1 and 2 have a much longer life expectancy as a rule. There are also many types of brain tumors that are considered benign. That's very misleading though as often they return over and over. My husband had a right frontal lobe tumor removed in 1989. its called an anaplastic astrocytoma grade 3.They gave him 12 to 18 months at that point. As a rule they return with in that time and at the higher grade of a GBM. I guess numbers are just numbers in his case. Its been 20 years and he has not had a recurrencee. He is not healthy and has many issues now from the damage done by the treatments.

Question: Brain cancer risk for children? about 2 months ago my 1 year old boy ha an MRI. They found a very small nodule in the fluid in his head. Ive read online that if 2 or more family members have they same type of brain cancer your chances of getting brain cancer are increased. Is it the same for children. 2 of our family members have recently passed away with the same type of brain cancer. Very aggressive and spreads very fast. They were both over the age of 40 when they were diagnosed. should i push for a biopsy when we meet with the neurosurgeon?

Answer: Definetly, because if your son does have brain cancer, it's much better if you catch it early on. answer mine, please? http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090918200914AAAhKmi

Question: Can internet viewing cause ocular and brain cancer combined with pinched nerves in the neck to mestatisize? subtly without being picked up into an unknown origin type of cancer?

Answer: Eye strain and pinched nerves do not cause cancer.

Question: How long does a person with small cell cancer have after there cancer spreads to the brain? my mother in law has had this type of cancer for about a year and it has traveled to her brain her cancer is termanal they will not remove it

Answer: You are right, they won't operate on small cell, especially if it has metastasized. Radiation to the brain I would think is the way they would deal with the brain mets. Chemo works well against small cell, most chemo won't travel thru the brain barrier so that is why they may opt for radiation. Small cell is a faster growing cancer than non small, but the trade off is that chemo can often put a person in a N.E.D. (no evidence of disease) in about a year of treatments. Small cell however will often reappear later so follow ups and frequent scans are recommended to keep watch on recurrence. All the best to your M.I.L.