According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 22,020 men and women will be diagnosed with brain cancer in 2010. Brain cancer can either begin in the brain or spread from other parts of the body. These cancers are among the most difficult types to treat. On average, an individual diagnosed with this illness has a life expectancy of only a couple of years, says the National Cancer Institute.
Brain Cancer Prognosis
According to the eMedTV.com, a prognosis of brain cancer is a medical opinion about the likely course and outcome of this disease. It is only a prediction and no doctor can be absolutely certain about the outcome for any individual patient. While making the prognosis, doctors take into account such factors as age and health. The type, size and location of the cancer and how well it responds to treatment are other important factors involved in this process. A frequently used tool used for forming a prognosis is the five-year survival rate. This refers to the percentage of people who were alive five years after they were diagnosed with the illness. According to the National Cancer Institute, the general five-year survival rate for any brain cancer type is approximately 35 percent among adults, but can be up to 75 percent among children under age 14. The rate is highest among African American women, and lowest among Caucasian men. In addition, the survival rate is highest if the cancer has spread from other body parts to the brain, and lowest if the cancer has spread to regional lymphnodes.
Brain Cancer Side Effects
Brain cancer survivors typically experience some side effects due to the radiation treatment they receive, says the Mayo Clinic. These side effects can start during the treatments and continue for up to a few months. Side effects are not specific to a certain cancer type and may include such symptoms as fatigue, nausea, vomiting and hair loss. Some side effects are caused by radiation to the brain. According to Caring4Cancer.com, these include sore mouth, chronic dry mouth and changes in taste or smell.
Recurrence of Cancer
Unfortunately, in some survivors of brain cancer, the illness returns after a period of remission. This recurrence happens because, despite the treatment, some cancer cells are left behind. These cells may be dormant for some time, but will eventually multiply and cause a recurrence of the cancer. Patients often want to know if there is anything they could have done to prevent the recurrence of the cancer, but according to the American Cancer Society, there is nothing patients can do to prevent the re-appearance of the disease. The institute also states that people who experience a recurrence should never blame themselves.
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Many survivors of brain cancer experience such cognitive problems as impaired learning and memory. Frequently, the patients need cognitive rehabilitation to re-learn some cognitive skills, says the American Brain Tumor Association. The first part of such cognitive retraining is to restore some skills that the patient may have lost, including the ability to concentrate or solve problems. The second task of the rehabilitation is to teach the survivor to use different strategies and compensatory techniques to cope with his weakened areas.
Speech Pathology Services
It is quite common for brain cancer survivors to have trouble swallowing, eating or producing language, states the American Brain Tumor Association. This might result from a tumor that was located in an area that controls these functions. Cancer treatments such as radiation or medication can also contribute to these difficulties. Speech therapists can help the brain cancer survivor overcome his problems in speech, swallowing and eating.
