Thursday, July 19, 2012
Meningioma Brain Tumour - 6 Years On
Today, six years ago, a fabulous neurosurgeon was delving about in my head. He successfully found my brain and removed the intruder camping out on top completely.
Six years on, my head still itches continuously and my hair grows thicker on that side of my head but I have no side effects that I know of that I can put down solely to the removal of my meningioma brain tumour.
LIFE IS GREAT!
Here's to another great year!
Cheers Everyone
Monday, July 9, 2012
Coronation Street's Bill Tarmey's e-Petition
Hi everyone.
Can I please ask that as many of you as possible please sign Bill Tarmey's e-petition.
Brain tumours kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer, including more children and life expectancy for people with brain tumours has not increased for 40 years; they are responsible for an average loss of life of over 20 years.
This petition calls on the UK Government to take action to:
Improve brain tumour diagnosis.
Enforce best practice in brain tumour care.
Increase the proportion of cancer research spending on brain tumours.
To make a real difference we need over 100,000 people to sign the e-petition.
Please sign Bill’s e-petition here and spread the word.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/35167
Friday, June 29, 2012
Sophie Needs Help
Hey Friends,
I just got this news from a friend of mine. If you feel the same way that I do about it, then please post about this to your friends too.
There's no doubt this money can be raised, and all you have to do is pass on this request for people to visit the site and consider donating to this poor little girl - thank you.
Lynda
www.justgiving.com/sophierobertsstory
I just got this news from a friend of mine. If you feel the same way that I do about it, then please post about this to your friends too.
There's no doubt this money can be raised, and all you have to do is pass on this request for people to visit the site and consider donating to this poor little girl - thank you.
Lynda
www.justgiving.com/sophierobertsstory
Monday, June 18, 2012
News From A New Study Of Meningioma
The new study suggests that performing frequent X-rays may expose patients to unnecessary risk.
So far, we are told that the biggest known risk for meningioma brain tumours (non-malignant) is exposure of some kind to ionizing radiation of which the most common source is found in dental X-rays.
Now, no one is saying stop going to the dentist but the professionals are suggesting that maybe we have too many unnecessary X-rays as part of our annual check-ups.
Lead researcher and neurosurgeon Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, of Yale University School of Medicine and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital says, " it appears that a large percentage of patients receive annual X-rays instead of every two to three years, which is the recommendation for healthy adults".
This is yet another area where many of us will say, "Hmmm. I had a fair few dental X-rays in my life for one reason or another". So maybe now is time to be cautious. If it's not necessary, why have one? I discussed this with my dentist when several smaller studies were undertaken a few years ago and although she felt the risk was very small, I decided to take the stand that unless it was an emergency then I wasn't having them. The findings of that time were inconclusive but I always feel there is no smoke without fire so decided to leave them out!
This new study, which dealt with a larger group was undertaken between 2006 and 2011 and included at least 1,400 meningioma patients of all ages. It was found that when comparing dental histories between adults of similar characteristics within the group, lifelong exposure to panoramic dental X-rays was significantly associated with the risk of meningioma and interestingly, to me, the risk was shown to be higher in those who received the panoramic X-rays under the age of 10.
The findings were, according to neurosurgeon Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, that meningioma patients were more than twice as likely as the adults without brain tumours to have had dental X-rays at some point during their lives.
The study appears in the April 10 issue of the American Cancer Association journal Cancer.
So far, we are told that the biggest known risk for meningioma brain tumours (non-malignant) is exposure of some kind to ionizing radiation of which the most common source is found in dental X-rays.
Now, no one is saying stop going to the dentist but the professionals are suggesting that maybe we have too many unnecessary X-rays as part of our annual check-ups.
Lead researcher and neurosurgeon Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, of Yale University School of Medicine and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital says, " it appears that a large percentage of patients receive annual X-rays instead of every two to three years, which is the recommendation for healthy adults".
This is yet another area where many of us will say, "Hmmm. I had a fair few dental X-rays in my life for one reason or another". So maybe now is time to be cautious. If it's not necessary, why have one? I discussed this with my dentist when several smaller studies were undertaken a few years ago and although she felt the risk was very small, I decided to take the stand that unless it was an emergency then I wasn't having them. The findings of that time were inconclusive but I always feel there is no smoke without fire so decided to leave them out!
This new study, which dealt with a larger group was undertaken between 2006 and 2011 and included at least 1,400 meningioma patients of all ages. It was found that when comparing dental histories between adults of similar characteristics within the group, lifelong exposure to panoramic dental X-rays was significantly associated with the risk of meningioma and interestingly, to me, the risk was shown to be higher in those who received the panoramic X-rays under the age of 10.
The findings were, according to neurosurgeon Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, that meningioma patients were more than twice as likely as the adults without brain tumours to have had dental X-rays at some point during their lives.
The study appears in the April 10 issue of the American Cancer Association journal Cancer.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Look Out For Brain Tumour Symptoms!
I would welcome any comments on a recent post that was reported in the Huffington Post, UK, in January.
The article was about a 18 year old student who was suffering incredible migraines which were so debilitating that she was experiencing problems with her mobility functions i.e. she was having a problems walking and cutting up food.
The migraines became so severe on several occasions that she attended her local hospital only to be told that her headaches were probably the result of study stress, partying too hard or simply being homesick!
After 2 months of repeated visits and increasing problems a golf ball sized tumour was discovered and this female student was finally diagnosed with medulloblastoma - a malignant primary brain tumour.
This young lady had emergency surgery, followed by chemo and radiotherapy. She knew something was very wrong with her body but was having a devil of a time convincing others because of her presumed lifestyle.
Interestingly, the Teenage Cancer Trust also recently revealed stats showing that a quarter of young people who visited GPs with un-diagnosed cancer had to return four times or more before their symptoms were taken seriously.
The Trust's researchers said their findings highlight "the serious issue of delayed diagnosis" in the age group.
The article was about a 18 year old student who was suffering incredible migraines which were so debilitating that she was experiencing problems with her mobility functions i.e. she was having a problems walking and cutting up food.
The migraines became so severe on several occasions that she attended her local hospital only to be told that her headaches were probably the result of study stress, partying too hard or simply being homesick!
After 2 months of repeated visits and increasing problems a golf ball sized tumour was discovered and this female student was finally diagnosed with medulloblastoma - a malignant primary brain tumour.
This young lady had emergency surgery, followed by chemo and radiotherapy. She knew something was very wrong with her body but was having a devil of a time convincing others because of her presumed lifestyle.
Interestingly, the Teenage Cancer Trust also recently revealed stats showing that a quarter of young people who visited GPs with un-diagnosed cancer had to return four times or more before their symptoms were taken seriously.
The Trust's researchers said their findings highlight "the serious issue of delayed diagnosis" in the age group.
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