Glioma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is considered a primary brain tumor which is extremely aggressive and difficult to treat. Glioblastoma is demarcated by highly aggressive proliferation with great invasive potential as well as refractory to present treatments due to suppression of pro-apoptotic pathways (Karmakar et al., 2007). Such factors up-regulated in cancer involve cell proliferation, cell invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and resistance to chemo and radiotherapy (Kunnumakkara et al., 2008).…

Treatment The standard first-line treatment for malignant gliomas includes the use of alkylating agents such as temozolomide, which is widely used, sometimes in combination with ionizing radiation (7). This alkylating agents exist in the environment, like in fuel combustion or cigarette smoke, in diet, such as in processed meat or could exist as a product of endogenous metabolic processes (8, 9). This alkylating agents, when in low concentrations, could be mutagenic and carcinogenic but another…

time slips away.”- Anonymous On the day of April 15th, 2014, a precious little girl by the name of Julia Norris passed away and was accepted into Heaven. Julia was the sister of my great friend Jordan. She passed due to a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma brain tumor. This doleful event caused me to put my life into a new perspective. The laws of life that I now follow as of a result of this tragedy are, don't take life for granted, live life in the moment, and that God has a plan for everyone. …

First, there are carcinomas, which are cancers that arise in layers of cells covering the body. Melanomas, another form, originate in the skin pigment cells. Cancer found in supporting tissues of the body are known as Sarcomas. Gliomas, cancer of the nerve tissue, is another type of cancer. These cancers all originate in a single place but can easily spread to another part of the body (Sullivan). The types of cancers that can affect the body come in many different forms also. Leukemia…

LITT (Laser interstitial thermal therapy) is a stereotactic-guided minimally invasive ablating technique that involves generating high temperatures thus leading to tissue coagulation, necrosis, and cellular apoptosis (1-3). LITT was initially described by Brown et al in 1983, for the treatment of tumors (5). Later, Sugiyama et al described the utility of this modality in the management of deep-seated brain tumors (6). The concept of using heat energy to treat tumors has evolved to a precise and…

most common route, but in recent years chemotherapy has been added. This addition of chemoradiotherapy has brought on an increased onset of pseudoprogression in patients (Linhares et.al 2013). Pseudoprogression in patients shows improvements in the glioma of the brain, when actually there has not been this progression (Linhares et al. 2013). Chemoradiotherapy may have decreased the rate at which the glioblastoma has grown, but not to the extent that the MRI would be showing. This provides false…

Troublesome Technology Today, most people own cell phones. Those that do own cell phones may know some disadvantages of owning one. What some people do not know is the disadvantages to cell phone usage is not only that they may freeze up or break, but owning a cell phone had far more significant disadvantages such as health problems, automobile wrecks, and effects today’s children. Cell phone ownership is a source of negative health effects. According to Dr. Agarwal, “electromagnetic waves…

results validate that pantoprazole inhibited C6 glioma cell proliferation and induced apoptosis relatively by subduing NF-κB signaling. Pantoprazole is already clinically used for peptic ulcer disease and reflux esophagitis, considering above observations it signifies that pantoprazole might play a vital role in chemotherapy and in view of its low cost, negligible toxicity and high efficacy it is possible to extend its clinical application to control Glioma progression. This was a good start to…

Can Cannabidiol (CBD) Fight Metastatic Cancer? The legalization of medical marijuana across multiple U.S States is an indication of why there is so much noise around cannabis. Evidence from scientific studies, clinical trials, and anecdotal stories has demonstrated the vast potential benefits of cannabis, and particularly, the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in treating a wide range of ailments. Some of these conditions include diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, anxiety…

This elderly gentleman had been misdiagnosed twice before he was properly diagnosed with optic glioma, stricken with a tumor that consumed him with blindness. This not only bothered me because of the frustration he endured, but also inspired me to "try to be a rainbow in someone 's cloud" as the poet Maya Angelou stated. His positive outlook has…