What Does a Brain Tumor ‘Feel Like’?

We asked neuro-oncologists Lakshmi Nayak, MD, and Eudocia Quant Lee, MD, MPH, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Center for Neuro-Oncology, to review the red flags that warrant a medical follow up: Headaches that are new or worsening, especially in a person who doesn’t normally have headaches. Often they are worse when lying down and in the … Read more

Webchat: The Latest in Brain Tumor Research and Care

In honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, David Reardon, MD, and Patrick Wen, MD, of Dana-Farber’s Center for Neuro-Oncology, went live on Facebook to answer questions about brain cancer. The doctors discussed advice for brain tumor patients, answered audience questions, and described the difference between the two major categories of brain cancers—primary cancer, developed in … Read more

What’s New in Pediatric Brain Tumor Research and Care?

Mark W. Kieran, MD, PhD, director of Pediatric Medical Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, spoke to pediatric patient families in a recent Facebook Live Webchat addressing pediatric brain tumor care. Kieran answered questions from audience members about the most common of the 300 brain tumor types that occur in children, including … Read more

My Experience as an LGBTQ Cancer Patient

By Tara Baysol My first truly extensive exposure to the health care system as a patient began in 2013 with my brain cancer diagnosis. It was, and continues to be, an eye-opening experience. One big challenge that presented itself early on in my cancer journey was learning how to navigate the system and advocate for … Read more

Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients Find Success with Targeted Drug

At first, early intervention specialists told Christi Powers that her young son’s gross motor delays and poor balance were likely the result of weak muscle tone, but when Danny developed severe headaches at age 4, she took him to the emergency room. Soon the suburban Boston boy was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma, the most … Read more

Do Concussions Increase the Risk of Brain Tumors?

With football season in full swing, concussions and their long- and short-term consequences promise to be in the news. While the harmful effects of repeated concussions, especially among teens and young adults, have been well documented, any links between concussions and brain cancer are less clear. Multiple studies have endeavored to see if such links … Read more

Cancer Conversations Podcast—Episode #17: The Latest in Brain Tumor Research and Treatment

Brain tumors can be among the most challenging cancers to treat. The blood-brain barrier, a natural defense mechanism that shields the brain from harm, can also prevent cancer treatments from reaching tumors. “It can be difficult to get treatments effectively into the brain,” says David Reardon, MD, clinical director of Dana-Farber’s Center for Neuro-Oncology. However, … Read more

Dylan Discovers a New Sport During Cancer Treatment

Balloons of various colors are taped in a row across the wall. Twenty yards away, 8-year-old Dylan Berio announces “yellow,” pulls back the string of his bow, then releases – smiling as he hears the “pop.” His arrow successfully pierced the yellow balloon. Archery requires focus and precision – something Dylan has in ample quantities. … Read more

New Treatment Protocol Boosts Survival in Pediatric Neuroblastoma Patients

When Emily Coughlin complained of a sore knee in May 2009, doctors initially suspected Lyme disease. After antibiotics failed to relieve the pain, the girl, who was just shy of her fourth birthday, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that begins in nerve cells outside the brain and usually affects children under 6. Though rare … Read more

Young Adult Finds Ways to Discuss Death

https://agingwithdignity.org/docs/default-source/Samples/vmc-sample.pdf?sfvrsn=4 By Tara Baysol I was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 at the age of 27. Just prior to my diagnosis, I had started a new, exciting chapter as a Yale graduate student. My self-confidence was at an all-time high as I had survived my chaotic early 20s and was beginning to really figure … Read more

Cancer Conversations Podcast – Episode #11: Advances in Pediatric Brain Tumor Treatment

Perhaps more than any other childhood cancer, pediatric brain tumor treatment is incredibly complex and takes a team effort to care for a patient. Doctors and researchers are working to not only improve medicines and treatment methods, they are also striving to improve quality of life and long-term side effects for young patients. “The goal … Read more

After Finishing Brain Tumor Treatment, High School Senior Graduates

The first semester of senior year is usually challenging for high school students, but Jake DeCarolis faced an additional hurdle in September 2015 when what he thought was a headache turned out to be a brain tumor. For the next six months, DeCarolis juggled homework and college applications around surgery and chemotherapy at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s … Read more