by Chris Ryan and Dr. Kevin Buckman
The two important types of high grade Astrocytomas are anaplastic Astrocytomas and glioblastoma multiform (GBM). Astrocytomas amongst children usually affect the central nervous system that is, the brain and the spinal cord. Astrocytomas are uncommon among children. However among the children below the age of fifteen this is second in the list of frequently occurring cancers. In United States around 1,200 to 1,500 children have new brain tumours each year. Around 40,000 children are diagnosed with brain tumour each year around the world. Primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNET), is a type of brain cancer that is common among boys. However Astrocytomas occur among both boys and girls.
Around twenty percent of Astrocytomas tends to occur among children below the age of two. Among all types of brain cancers Astrocytomas represents ten percent. A type of cells called gilial cells are composed in the connective tissue of the brain. The astrocytes have a star shape and are consisted in the brain’s glial tissue matrix. The Astrocytes tend to for a tumour which is called Astrocytomas, when they become malignant. In the medical terms the suffix “oma” is known as cancer. The Astrocytomas are put together with gliomas which is also the cancer of the brain’s connective tissue since they are in association with the glial tissue.
Among Oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and ependymal cells glial cells can be any one type. The names to the tumours are given from the cell type which is primary and that is present. Thus Astrocytomas are nothing but gliomas that mainly consist of astrocytes. Of all the brain tumours Astrocytomas represent thirteen percent. The type of brain tumour such as glioblastoma multiforme represents twenty – three percent of all the brain tumours. The Astrocytomas can grow rapidly or can also be slow. Pilocytic Astrocytomas is a form of Astrocytomas that grows very slowly and many times it can also be benign.
The other forms of brain tumours such as anaplastic Astrocytomas or glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are extremely malignant. The exact cause’s opaediatricic brain tumours are still unknown. A few things that are known are exposing to radiation during the treatment of severe lymphocytic leukaemia tends to increase the risk of formation of brain tumours. The agents in the Chemotherapy which are also known as nitrosureas or nitrogen mustards also result in the increase in the risk of formation of Astrocytomas in later stages. However, Astrocytomas do not occur due to the treatment of previous cancer.
About www.cancer.im
When an individual is diagnosed with cancer, the feeling of panic is overwhelming. As loved ones hear the news, they too are overwhelmed and often do not know what to do. Cancer.im provides a common sense approach to managing this chaos and uncertainty. The goal is to increase the patient’s quality of life and enable them to take back control.
Cancer.im is a social network for cancer patients, advocates, and volunteers. Members can connect to other people affected by cancer, organize the personal and professional resources available to them, research the qualitative and quantitative aspects of cancer, and create a customized strategy for beating or preventing the disease.
Cancer.im was founded by people with firsthand experience with cancer. Cancer.im continues to grow by the individuals who continually donate their time, resources, and experience to helping cancer patients navigate the obstacles they face. Our driving principles are based on clinical data which have shown that:
Cancer patients who have an active support network, outlive cancer patients who do not
Increasing a Cancer Patient’s Quality of Life, directly lowers the incidence of morbidity
Together, we believe that the Cancer.im social network can change the way in which patients view and manage their disease.
Cancer.im is guided by the following principles which collectively make up our mission.
Cancer is a generic term used to describe a unique disease. We want to empower every cancer patient with the information and resources they need to create a customized cancer strategy as unique as they are.
Cancer experiences are often characterized by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. We want to turn cancer patients from hopeless to hopeful, and cancer advocates from helpless to helpful.
Every individual who has been through an experience with cancer has unique wisdom that others can benefit from. We want to harvest and organize this wisdom and make it available to the world.
Cancer patients who have an active support network outlive cancer patient who do not. We want to empower every cancer patient, regardless of their ability to pay, with the ability of organizing and managing their own support network and outlive this disease.
Increasing a cancer patient’s quality of life directly lowers the incidence of morbidity. We want to organize and empower those who surround a patient with the knowledge and ability to directly affect that patient’s quality of life for the better by alleviating the daily burden associated with cancer.
With these principles always in mind, and the continual dedication of our online community, we can change the way the world views and manages cancer!
About www.cancer.im
When an individual is diagnosed with cancer, the feeling of panic is overwhelming. As loved ones hear the news, they too are overwhelmed and often do not know what to do. Cancer.im provides a common sense approach to managing this chaos and uncertainty. The goal is to increase the patient’s quality of life and enable them to take back control.
Cancer.im is a social network for cancer patients, advocates, and volunteers. Members can connect to other people affected by cancer, organize the personal and professional resources available to them, research the qualitative and quantitative aspects of cancer, and create a customized strategy for beating or preventing the disease.
Cancer.im was founded by people with firsthand experience with cancer. Cancer.im continues to grow by the individuals who continually donate their time, resources, and experience to helping cancer patients navigate the obstacles they face. Our driving principles are based on clinical data which have shown that:
Cancer patients who have an active support network, outlive cancer patients who do not
Increasing a Cancer Patient’s Quality of Life, directly lowers the incidence of morbidity
Together, we believe that the Cancer.im social network can change the way in which patients view and manage their disease.
Cancer.im is guided by the following principles which collectively make up our mission.
Cancer is a generic term used to describe a unique disease. We want to empower every cancer patient with the information and resources they need to create a customized cancer strategy as unique as they are.
Cancer experiences are often characterized by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. We want to turn cancer patients from hopeless to hopeful, and cancer advocates from helpless to helpful.
Every individual who has been through an experience with cancer has unique wisdom that others can benefit from. We want to harvest and organize this wisdom and make it available to the world.
Cancer patients who have an active support network outlive cancer patient who do not. We want to empower every cancer patient, regardless of their ability to pay, with the ability of organizing and managing their own support network and outlive this disease.
Increasing a cancer patient’s quality of life directly lowers the incidence of morbidity. We want to organize and empower those who surround a patient with the knowledge and ability to directly affect that patient’s quality of life for the better by alleviating the daily burden associated with cancer.
With these principles always in mind, and the continual dedication of our online community, we can change the way the world views and manages cancer!