Brain


 * [[image:brain_tumor.jpg width="114" height="132"]] || [[image:Jess_Brain.PNG width="451" height="97"]] || [[image:brain-1.gif width="115" height="140" link="http://www.abta.org/"]] ||

What Really Is Cancer?  Cancer is a disease that entails cells dividing uncontrollably. These cells are not wanted in the human body, but they mutate so fast and so much that they invade other tissues, or can spread throughout the body to different organs, skin cells, blood, or lymph glands. Cancer is not just one disease in whole, but a disease divided in hundreds of other directions, for the reason that there are over 200 types of cancer, and they are named after the organ or type of cell that they start mutating in. Brain Cancer- The reason why I choose this cancer is because my uncle was diagnosed with brain cancer about a year and a half ago. Cancer within a family is always hard on family members, and I feel that learning the severity, and conditions of the cancer patient help you to cope with the situation a little better.
 * The type of cancer that I decided to research and study was brain cancer in adults, or Central Nervous System tumors. This type of cancer, and people who live with these tumors all are categorized differently in order to figure out their plans for treatment, which depend on a their age, the tumor type, and the precise location of the tumor within the Central Nervous System. Also, CNS tumors in not only adults, but also children often discover their cancer in different areas in the CNS. Because these cancer tumors can grow in different areas of the CNS, they all call for different treatments and prognosis. Another factor is the type of tumor it is branching off of malignant (can spread) or benign (don't spread) ,and that is wheather the tumor is primary or matastic. Primary is when the tumor starts off in the brain, and matastic is when the cancer cells formed else where in the body, and worked their way up to the brain.

|| || Target Area-
 * [[image:tumorsss.jpg]] || The area of the body where this cancer is found is pretty self-explanatory. The main areas in the brain consist of the cerebral hemispheres, the basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. All of these areas are potential targets for CNS tumors. As far as certain groups of people that are at risk of brain cancer, there has been no known environmental or chemical agent that has put a person at risk, leading to the development of brain tumors, but there are risks that can higher one’s chances of this type of cancer. Genetic mutations and deletions of tumors suppressors, which are genes in the body that slow down the development of malignant cells, may leave a person at a higher risk of developing a tumor. Also, patients that have a history of melanoma, lung, breast, colon, or kidney cancer can enhance their chances of secondary brain cancer.

|| Statistics-
 * Although brain cancer accounts for only 1.3% of all cancers, and 2.2% of cancer-related deaths, the statistics of people with this type of cancer is outstanding. The American Cancer Society has estimated that in the United States, 21,810 malignant tumors of the spinal cord and brain would be diagnosed to people in the year 2008. Of those people, 11,7800 will be men, and 10,030 would be diagnosed women. Sadly, of those 21,810 people, 13,070 of them will die from the malignant tumors. Out of those 13,070 people, 7,420 of them will be men, and 5,65o will be women.

|| || Treatments- Chemotherapy-
 * [[image:MRI.jpg width="293" height="228"]] || CNS tumors can be treated by surgical removal, but there are many other follow up treatments as well. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are other options that people use. Radiation therapy treats the tumor by beaming high-energy radiation towards the target spot, and attacks the cancer cells. This is done by lying on the radiation table and asked to stay completely still. Usually the radiation technologist will have a mask that will resist any movement, so that they are sure they are targeting the right spot. The radiation treatment does not hurt, and only lasts a few minutes, but some people have to go every day for months. || [[image:radiation_picture.jpg caption="This is a picture of a radiation machine"]] ||
 * media type="file" key="Chemotherapy - Treating Cancer With Chemotherapy - Side-Effects of Chemotherapy .flv" || Chemotherapy are anti-cancer drugs that are taken either by a needle into a vein, or by mouth, and are designed to kill cancer cells. These don’t work as well because of the blood barrier between the blood and tissues from the CNS. What some disadvantages of these drugs are that they can permanently damage different organs, such as the heart, the liver, and the nerves of the body. Other little symptoms that usually go away after taking these dugs are nausea, which leads to vomiting, and loss of appetite. The reasons for some of these effects are because the drugs are targeted towards the brain so it contributes to several symptoms. This treatment is very expensive, and depending on the type of medication, some pills cost 16 dollars per pill. People range from months to years on this treatment, and it can drastically change a person’s appearance.

|| <span style="font-size: 25px; color: #088c61; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 25px; color: #088c61; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Surgery- media type="file" key="Brain Surgery of Tumor.mp4" width="287" height="211" My Story- script for my podcast <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">My uncle has brain cancer and he didn’t know he had it until one random day. He was lying on the beach on vacation, and started to have a seizer. He is paralyzed on his left side and can barely use his arm. He used to be a contractor, and now he spends his days inside reading and helps at the therapy center he goes too. He has a seizer at least once every two to three months, and he has to stay away from flashes. His brain tumor was removed surgically and he goes for radiation, but the tumor still continues to grow. He does chemotherapy, but his tumor is malignant, so we always have to watch him carefully.

Also, Scott's uncle passed away last March of a brain tumor that he had for the past ten years. He was told he had a year left the day he found out, and lasted ten more. His tumor was malignant and by the end of his struggle,they had to take him off chemo because it wasn't going to slow down the proccess anymore. He had radiation therapy as well, but the tumor took up so much that when I saw him at christmas he seemed perfectly normal, just a little tired, and than on valentines day he couldn't eat, walk, stand, or talk. Resources-


 * [|www.abta.org] -- American Brain Tumor Association
 * [|www.cbtf.org] -- Children's Brain Tumor Foundation
 * [|www.virtualtrials.com] -- Musella Foundation for Brain Tumor Research and Information
 * [|www.braintumor.org] -- National Brain Tumor Foundation
 * [|www.neurosurgery.org] -- American Association of Neurologic Surgeons
 * [|www.cancer.org] -- American Cancer Society
 * [|www.cancer.gov] -- National Cancer Institute
 * [|www.asco.org] -- American Society for Clinical Oncology
 * [|www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials] -- Find clinical trials
 * [|www.radiologyinfo.org] -- RadiologyInfo
 * [|www.cancer.net] -- Cancer.Net
 * [|www.sciam.com] -- Scientific American (Cell phone Use Article)