Inspiration From A Brain Tumor Warrior
- Karen Rigby, 60, was first diagnosed with a benign brain tumor after experiencing some weird smells. Then, she was diagnosed with glioblastoma (cancerous) four years later.
- 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.
Rigby’s brain tumor journey began in 2015 when her first symptoms started to show. Her daughter Lorraine Lea, 33, said one of the first symptoms was that her mother began experiencing “weird smells” such as a “burning” smell that no one else in the room could experience. The family wasn’t “too concerned” because they thought it caused by Rigby’s history of migraines, but the strange symptoms didn’t stop there.
Read MoreSadly, the English grandmother would not discover the root cause of her issues until she had a grand mal seizure that caused her to bite her tongue in half and led to tests and scans that found her non-cancerous brain tumor.
Rigby went back to living her life more normally following surgery, but November 2020 arrived with some devastating news: stage four glioblastoma a cancerous type of brain tumor diagnosis.
She was given a devastating prognosis, but Rigby has already beaten the odds.
“Her positivity throughout has been absolutely amazing and she has never complained or played a victim or anything like that,” Lea said of her brave mother.
Now the family is fundraising for alternative treatment and hoping to buy as much time with Rigby as they can.
“Unfortunately with this type of brain cancer it can just change rapidly. She is doing really well now but we just don’t know how long for,” Lea said. “So, we’re trying to get ahead of it and get the treatment done while she is well to see if we can slow it down or remove it completely, if we’re that lucky.”
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
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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