Learning about Brain Tumors
- Jo Fletcher-Cross, 40, went to the doctor after moments of struggling to speak. But instead of discovering her brain tumor, they only diagnosed her with a urinary tract infection. Now, the glioblastoma warrior is preparing for treatments and working hard to make memories with her 11-year-old daughter.
- Symptoms of brain tumors are often caused by increased pressure in the skull. Symptoms may include headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, balance problems, personality or behavior changes, seizures, drowsiness or even comas. It is important to note, however, that these symptoms are not exclusive to brain tumors.
- Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer. And though it technically has no cure, one of our experts says a diagnosis does NOT mean you are dead.
Fletcher-Cross is a wife, a mother of an 11-year-old girl, a journalist for National Geographic, a part-time comedian and, now, a cancer warrior. Her journey began when symptoms first arrived in late June and she struggled to speak.
Read MoreSadly, Fletcher-Cross continued to feel “strange and just not quite right” in the weeks that followed.
“I had a friend round for dinner and found myself struggling trying to cook something I had made lots of times before,” she said.
She even started to struggle with names and forget passwords.
“I was about to submit work for my MA in comedy writing which I had been doing via distance learning at Falmouth University,” she said. “I spent a few days working very hard to finish that, submitted an hour before the deadline! The very next morning I got up, sat down at my desk to start work and I could not remember my computer password or how I could possibly get into it.”
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle
That’s when Fletcher-Cross decided it was time for another trip to the hospital.
“We went straight up to A&E and a doctor there realized very quickly something wasn't right,” she said. “I had a scan which showed 'something' on my brain, and after a few hours was admitted to hospital for a week, during which more tests confirmed a brain tumor.”
After surgery to remove the tumor, her diagnosis was confirmed: grade four glioblastoma. Almost all of her tumor was removed during the procedure, but Fletcher-Cross is very aware that her cancer will likely grow back. She’s currently preparing for radiotherapy followed by six months of chemotherapy.
But the part-time stand-up comic has a good attitude about it all.
"A lot of people are like 'oh you're so brave', but what else can you do?” she said. “There's not really much choice. You don't want to spend too much time being miserable."
Her focus, instead, has been on spending time with her loved ones. Hence why she’s started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for a family trip to Disneyland, Paris.
"The big thing is my husband and I just wanted to create lots of memories for our daughter and just show her things and do as much as we can together,” she said. "My daughter is aware now of what's going on. She knows why we're doing this trip. She's a great kid. Telling her obviously wasn't the greatest day but we took her out to eat lots of ice-cream afterwards."
What Are Brain Tumors?
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), brain tumors account for 85 to 90 percent of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord and acts as the main "processing center" for the nervous system. Normal function of the brain and spinal cord can become difficult if there's a tumor present that puts pressure on or spreads into nearby normal tissue.
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There are many different types of brain and spinal cord tumors. Some are more likely to spread into nearby parts of the brain or spinal cord than others. Slow-growing tumors may be considered benign (non-cancerous), but even these tumors can cause serious problems.
General Symptoms of Brain Tumors
Symptoms of brain tumors, as a whole, are often caused by increased pressure in the skull. This pressure can be caused by tumor growth, swelling in the brain or blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), according to the American Cancer Society.
General symptoms may include the following:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Balance problems
- Personality or behavior changes
- Seizures
- Drowsiness or even coma
Additionally, MD Anderson Cancer Center notes that changes in the ability to smell can be a sign of brain tumors, and, more specifically, "strange smells" can be a symptom of seizures which can result from brain tumors.
Still, it is important to note that these symptoms are not exclusive to brain tumors. You should always consult with your doctor if any health problems arise.
Understanding Glioblastoma: A Type of Brain Cancer
Glioblastoma, also known as glioblastoma multiforme, is an aggressive form of brain cancer. It's considered the most aggressive primary brain tumor, and it doesn't technically have a cure. The standard of care treatment for someone with GBM usually consists of a surgical resection followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Nevertheless, brain cancer treatment options are expanding thanks to research. Dr. Henry Friedman, a neuro-oncologist at Duke University Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet that progress is being made.
"You are not dead just because you've been diagnosed with a glioblastoma," he said.
Along with his Duke colleagues, he's looking into a new therapy that combines the modified poliovirus and immunotherapy.
"The modified poliovirus is used to treat this tumor, by injecting it directly into the tumor, through a catheter. It is designed to lyse the tumor and cause the tumor cells to basically break up" he said. "I think that the modified poliovirus is going to be a game-changer in glioblastoma… but I should also say that its reach is now extending into melanoma soon to bladder cancer."
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