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Foreword Introduction Part 1. The Basics Questions 1-6 cover the background about brain tumors, including: * What is a brain tumor? * Can any part of the brain have a tumor? Where do most brain tumors occur in the brain? Are there areas of the brain that are more dangerous to have a tumor? * What causes a brain tumor? Part 2. Diagnosis and Pathology Questions 7-14 discuss how brain tumors are diagnosed and classified, including: * What are the symptoms of brain tumors? Do all brain tumors cause headache? * What is a neurological examination? * What are the most common types of primary brain tumors? Part 3. Neuroimaging Questions 15-22 explore the various techniques used to look at brain tumors, such as: * Why do I need both a CT scan and an MRI scan? * How often should I have a follow up MRI scan? * What is a PET scan,and should I have one? Why does my doctor use MRI scans and not PET scans to evaluate my tumor? Part 4. Neurosurgery Questions 23-32 discuss what you can expect from brain surgery, including: * What are the potential complications of a neurosurgical procedure? * Are there some tumors that can be surgically cured? Is a tumor that cannot be resected always incurable? * Why do I still need therapy if all the malignant cells were removed? Part 5. Radiation Therapy Questions 33-41 describe radiation therapy, including: * What is radiation therapy? Is radiation therapy given for every type of brain tumor? * What are the side effects of radiation therapy? * What is the difference between stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and Gamma Knife? Which patients should receive SRS and which should receive Gamma Knife? Part 6. Chemotherapy and Other Drug Therapy Questions 42-57 describe chemotherapy and drug side effects, such as: * What is the blood-brain barrier, and how does it determine which drugs can be used in brain tumor treatment? * What is chemotherapy? What are the most common drugs used in the treatment of brain tumors? What are their side effects? * Why are blood cell counts affected by chemotherapy? Are low blood cell counts dangerous? What can I do to keep my blood cell counts high during chemotherapy? Part 7. Clinical Trials for Brain Tumor Patients Questions 58-64 discuss the benefits and drawbacks of participating in clinical trials: * My doctor told me that I'm "a perfect candidate for a clinical trial" but I'm not sure what he means by this. What is a clinical trial? * What do I need to know before I enroll in a study? Are clinical trials only conducted at universities and research centers? * What is the difference between an investigational therapy, an "off-label" drug, a complementary therapy, and an alternative therapy? Part 8. Complications of Brain Tumors and Their Treatment Questions 65-72 discuss the potential aftereffects of the disease and its treatment, including: * Can I expect to have brain damage as a result of surgery, radiation therapy or other treatment? * I had seizures prior to the diagnosis of my tumor but have not had one since. How long do I need to take anticonvulsant medication? * Since the completion of my chemotherapy, I have noticed that I am more short of breath. Why is this? Will this improve? Part 9. Medications Used in Brain Tumor Treatment Questions 73-78 describe specific medications used in treating brain tumors, including: * I have been prescribed dexamethasone after surgery and my doctor says I may be on this drug several weeks. What does dexamethasone do? What are the side effects of dexamethasone? * What are the side effects of anticonvulsant medication? * My pharmacist said that there may be a "drug interaction" between some of my medications. What does this mean? Part 10. Living With a Brain Tumor Questions 79-89 discuss the emotional and practical aspects of daily life after a brain tumor diagnosis, such as: * I have just learned that I have a brain tumor and I am afraid. Is this common? * What dietary adjustments do I need to make during treatment? Should I take vitamin or mineral supplements? Can diet protect against recurrence of a brain tumor? * Fatigue is a big problem for me-I simply don't have the energy to do anything. What can I do about this? * Are there specific support groups for brain tumor patients? How do I find one? * What records do I need to keep about my treatment? What is the best way to keep organized? * How do I discuss prognosis with my doctor? * Where do I find more information? Appendix The appendix is a list of web sites, organizations, and literature to help brain tumor patients and their families find additional resources on general and specific topics related to brain tumors. Glossary Index
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Brain Tumors Popular works