Your Path to Hope Resources

In some cases, brain tumors can affect a person’s problem-solving abilities. This can happen due to the tumor itself or as a result of the effects of standard treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Rehabilitation …

Seizures and Brain Tumors Seizures are a common concern for many brain tumor patients due to changes in brain function. Seizures can result from the disruption of normal brain activity caused by brain tumors. Knowing …

The Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale is a tool that helps doctors measure a person’s physical abilities, independence level, and how well a person can manage daily activities when dealing with a chronic illness, particularly …

Why Planning and Organization Matter After brain tumor treatment, changes in the brain can affect important thinking skills that help with planning, organizing, and starting tasks. These skills are necessary for managing day-to-day activities like …

Imagine your brain is like a busy city, with different neighborhoods responsible for different tasks. Just like how each part of a city plays a unique role in keeping things running smoothly, each area of …

About Us Brain tumors present unique challenges, demanding specialized care from diagnosis through treatment. With a shared commitment to addressing these challenges, the Brain Cancer Support and Solutions Alliance leverages the strengths of its member organizations to …

Follow-up care is a major part of the brain tumor treatment path. The journey for people diagnosed with a brain tumor does not end when active treatment has finished. Your health care team will continue to check that the tumor has not come back, manage any side effects, and monitor your overall health. This is called follow-up care. After treatment, expect routine physical exams, tests, and MRI scans to monitor your recovery. Due to the potential for tumor recurrence, the frequency of follow-ups will be tailored to your specific case.

How chemotherapy drugs work to treat brain cancerCytotoxic and cytostatic: Two treatment strategies All chemotherapy medications are meant to disrupt the way that cancerous cells duplicate, causing tumors to grow, however there are two major categories of chemo drugs. Cytotoxic medications work by killing the cells directly, while cytostatic medications are meant to stop the cells from dividing. It is important to note that any chemotherapy medication will affect both healthy and cancerous cells, a process that may produce a wide array of side effects in patients.

Different parts of the brain control different functions, so brain tumor symptoms will vary depending on the tumor’s location. For example, a brain tumor located in the cerebellum at the back of the head may cause trouble with movement, walking, balance, and coordination. If the tumor affects the optic pathway, which is responsible for sight, vision changes may occur.The tumor’s size and how fast it’s growing also affect which symptoms a person will experience.

Written by Brains for the Cure Ambassador and Survivor, Anna I grew up with a relatively normal childhood. I would play basketball, go home and do homework, and eagerly wake up early for morning cartoons. …