Brain Tumor Awareness Month

Brain Tumor Awareness Month

About brain tumors and treatment

495 Cooper Road Suite 125 Westerville, OH 43081 (614) 898-8300 www.columbusck.com

http://www.columbusck.com/

What is a Brain Tumor? The growth of abnormal cells in the 3ssues of the brain. Brain tumors can be benign

(not cancer) or malignant (cancer).

•  There are more than 120 different types of brain tumors; some are malignant (cancer), many are benign (non-‐cancerous).

•  The Central Brain Tumor Registry es?mates 66,290 new cases of primary non–malignant and

malignant brain and central nervous system tumors will be diagnosed in the United States in 2012. •  A large number of brain tumors are metasta3c. Metasta?c brain tumors begin as a cancer elsewhere

in the body and migrate, or metastasize, to the brain.



Symptoms of a Brain Tumor No screening tests exist for early brain tumor detec?on. These tumors can be hard to diagnose some?mes, as their symptoms mimic other diseases. Common symptoms of brain tumors: •  New or increasingly severe headaches •  Changes in vision •  Nausea or vomi?ng •  Abnormal fa?gue •  Tremors or seizures •  Speech problems •  Memory loss •  Personality changes •  Weakness on one side of the body •  Sudden facial paralysis •  Impaired sense of balance and problems with spa?al orienta?on



How are brain tumors treated? There are several treatment op?ons available for those diagnosed with brain tumors, including chemotherapy, radia?on therapy, conven?onal surgery and stereotac?c radiosurgery.

Chemotherapy: Usually administered as a secondary treatment following

surgery or radia?on therapy.

Radia?on Therapy: Usually a secondary treatment following surgery. Can be noninvasive or invasive and

possibly damage normal cells as well as cancer cells.

Conven?onal Surgery: Open surgery can benefit pa?ents with a single brain tumor that can be safely accessed and who don’t have cancer

elsewhere in the body.

Stereotac?c Radiosurgery: Delivers precisely targeted, high-‐dose radia?on to brain tumors and lesions

without surgery or seda?on.



How can I help?

•  Educate Yourself: Learn more about brain tumors and treatment op?ons

•  Get Ac?ve: Find a walk, run, or other community event in support of brain tumor research.

•  Speak Up: Tweet, update your status, or

talk to friends about brain tumor awareness.

Visit the Na?onal Brain Tumor Society or the American Brain Tumor Associa?on for more informa?on.



http://www.braintumor.org/

http://www.abta.org/


Our Center Opened in June 2010, Columbus CyberKnife combines experienced physicians and the latest medical advances. Medical Director Dr. Douglas Widman is board cer?fied in radia?on oncology and a member of the American Society for Radia?on Oncology. He has a special research interest in stereotac?c radiosurgery. Our center has treated pa?ents from around Ohio as well as bordering states such as West Virginia. Based on pa?ent sa?sfac?on surveys, Columbus CyberKnife has scored over 95% in all categories of pa?ent experience measurement, which examines various factors such as communica?on with doctors and staff, quality of care and likelihood of recommending the facility to others.

Medical Director: Dr. Douglas Widman Medical Physicist: Simeon Hodges Connect with us


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Health & Medicine

Brain Tumor Awareness Month