55-Year-Old Mom Thought ‘Funny Noise’ In Her Ear Was Tinnitus, But It Was Rare Brain Cancer— Understanding Oligodendroglioma

The mom of three opened up about her brain cancer journey in a recent interview with SWNS, according to Yahoo!Life, revealing doctors had discovered something abnormal on the mom’s brain following an MRI.

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Recounting the symptom she noticed, which led her to get checked, Wingfield explained to SWNS, “I had no symptoms other than a funny noise in my ear.

“When I tried to sleep at night it seemed louder although it was there all the time … I never for a moment imagined it was caused by a brain tumor.”

Just one month after having her MRI done, Wingfield underwent a nine-hour craniotomy, which was done while she was awake. It ultimately revealed her diagnosis of a rare brain tumor called grade 2 oligodendroglioma.

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The length surgery [craniotomy] is described by board-certified neurosurgeon at Emory University School of Medicine Dr. Kimberly Hoang as “a procedure to cut out a tumor and it can be metastasized or a tumor that started someplace else like the breasts and went to the brain especially if the tumor is causing symptoms or if it’s large.”

Dr. Hoang previously told SurvivorNet that the MRI [done before the craniotomy] helps doctors pinpoint the exact location of the tumor within the skull, noting the surgical procedure to remove the tumor involves making an incision near where the tumor is.

“We take off the bone overlaying the area we need to get to. We open the little envelope around the brain called the dura and then we move through the brain tissue to get to where the tumor is to try to cut out as much as we can safely without hurting the patient’s function or other important things like big blood vessels that can cause things like a stroke,” Dr. Hoang said.

After the procedure, the patient is closely monitored and usually receives radiation to keep the tumor from growing back.

“Because many patients can have more than one brain tumor or metastasis from their cancer, that was not reasonable to think about surgery for, they also get radiation for those spots as well to try to keep those tumors from growing or shrink them down,” Dr. Hoang further explained.

Wingfield told SWNS her craniotomy was followed by six weeks of radiotherapy, as well four rounds of chemotherapy. However, more recently she learned the tumor has since increased in size.

She explained, “Due to my tumor being slow growing, my medical team want to wait for further growth before they place me on another treatment plan, including a less brutal version of chemotherapy.

“Although it’s scary to know that it is still growing, I am being scanned regularly which offers some comfort.”

As she preps for her “200K in May’ challenge, she concluded, “I’ve found myself wanting to live my life to the full. In the years since surgery, I have traveled and taken part in adrenaline-fueled activities including a zip [zipline] wire with my son from the end of Bournemouth pier to the beach.”

Understanding Brain Tumors

Brain tumors can be either cancerous (malignant) or benign (noncancerous) and can affect both children and adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but William’s specific type of tumor most commonly affects adults.

The central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, acts as the main processing center for the nervous system as a whole, the American Cancer Society explains. The central nervous system’s normal functioning, which involves sending messages from the brain to other parts of the body, becomes disrupted if tumors are present.

Primary tumors are “glial” or “non-glial.” Glial tumors found in the brain are composed of glial cells, which “help support, connect, and protect the neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems,” cites Medical News Today.

Non-glial tumors develop on or in the structures of the brain including nerves, blood vessels and glands.

Benign or noncancerous brain tumors include:

• Chordomas
• Craniopharyngiomas
• Gangliocytomas
• Glomus jugulare
• Meningiomas
• Pineocytomas
• Pituitary adenomas
• Schwannomas
• Acoustic neuromas

Malignant or Cancerous tumors include:

• Gliomas, which make up 78% of cancerous primary brain tumors
• Astrocytoma
• Ependymomas
• Glioblastoma
• Oligodendroglioma, the type Denise Wingfield was diagnosed with
• Medulloblastoma

Understanding Oligodendroglioma

An oligodendroglioma is a type of brain tumor. This term can be broken down into two parts to better understand it: ‘oligo’ means ‘few’, while ‘dendroglioma’ refers to one of the types of cells in the brain – the oligodendrocytes. So essentially, an oligodendroglioma is a tumor that starts in the oligodendrocytes, which assist in the functioning of nerve cells.

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There’s something really important to remember about oligodendrogliomas: they’re pretty rare. Making up just about 4% of all brain tumors, they tend to occur most frequently in adults between the ages of 40 and 60. Additionally, these tumors are typically slow-growing and sometimes do not cause noticeable symptoms, making early detection a challenge.

Understanding terms like oligodendroglioma is the first step towards demystifying your health or the health of someone you care about. And knowledge is certainly crucial.

Symptoms of Oligodendroglioma

Oligodendrogliomas are often slow to show symptoms because of their slow-growing nature. As such, symptoms may only begin to appear as the tumor grows and starts to put pressure on the brain.

• Headaches: These aren’t your everyday headaches. They are persistent and worsen with time, often being most severe in the mornings.
• Seizures: Unusual electrical activity in the brain often results in seizures. These seizures can vary greatly, ranging from minor jerks or twitches to severe and prolonged physical shaking.
• Changes in Personality: Over time, these tumors can affect several regions of the brain and result in changes in personality, mood, or behavior.
• Cognitive Decline: Oligodendroglioma may cause difficulties with thinking, memory, and concentration.
• Muscle Weakness or Paralysis: Depending on the location of the tumor, it may cause weakness or paralysis on one side of the body.
• Vision Problems: If the tumor is located near the optic nerve, it may lead to blurred or double vision.

It’s crucial to remember:  that having one or more of these symptoms does not automatically mean you have an oligodendroglioma. Many of these are common symptoms that can result from numerous different conditions — not just brain tumors. If you or someone you care about is experiencing any of these symptoms persistently, it is always a good idea to reach out to a healthcare provider.

Treatment Options For Oliodendroglioma

Below are just some treatment options for patients diagnosed with Oliodendroglioma:

Surgery: This is often the first step in treatment. The goal is to remove as much of the tumor as safely as possible without damaging surrounding brain tissues. It’s a specialized procedure performed by expert neurosurgeons.
Radiation Therapy: This method uses high-energy beams, like X-rays, to kill the tumor cells. It’s often used after surgery, especially if the entire tumor cannot be removed.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill the tumorous cells. It might be used after radiation therapy or in combination with it, depending on the specifics of your case.
Targeted Therapy: This type of treatment focuses on specific abnormalities present in the cancer cells. By blocking these abnormalities, targeted therapy drugs can cause cancer cells to die. This is usually used if the tumor returns after initial treatment.
Supportive (Palliative) Care: This isn’t a treatment for the tumor itself, but an essential part of any cancer care. Palliative care focuses on providing relief from symptoms and improving your quality of life, through physical therapies, relaxation techniques, and emotional and psychological support.

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Now, remember, this sometimes can feel like a lot to take in. It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed with all these medical terms and procedures. But the good news is, these treatments are designed to target the tumor and aim for the best possible outcome while keeping your comfort in mind at all times.

Choosing the right treatment can be a winding journey. It’s a decision you’ll make with your healthcare team, considering the specifics of your condition, your general health, and your personal preferences. It may not be easy, but you are stronger than you think.

Setting Life Goals After Cancer

Many survivors tell us that they discovered a newfound inner strength during or after their cancer battles, and often decide to set goals and put their energy to better use, like what Denise Wingfield is going.

“I know it sounds funny but I never would have even considered running a marathon if I didn’t have cancer,” breast cancer survivor Carrie Kreiswirth previously told SurvivorNet.

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Kreiswirth explained that she struggled a lot while she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. She started feeling run down during chemotherapy and felt like she lost a part of herself. So how did she turn it around?

“I got to a certain point where I just started making certain shifts and certain changes and slowly, but surely, I have started to feel more like myself than I ever had,” Kreiswirth said.

“I changed a lot of my eating habits, I changed my exercise habits. Running a marathon was certainly a lofty goal to set for myself, but I needed that. I needed to know that I could do that … and if I had gone through cancer and come out the other side, then I could do anything.”

Leading Experts Urge Us to Be Proactive

“If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care,” National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery Steven Rosenberg told us in a previous interview, “because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important.”

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As we highlight in several areas of SurvivorNet, highly respected doctors sometimes disagree on the right course of treatment, and advances in genetics and immunotherapy are creating new options. Also, in some instances the specific course of treatment is not clear cut. That’s even more reason why understanding the potential approaches to your disease is crucial.

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At the National Cancer Institute, there is a patient referral service that will “guide patients to the right group depending on their disease state so that they can gain access to these new experimental treatments,” Rosenberg says.

Cancer Research Legend Urges Patients to Get Multiple Opinions

Furthermore, getting another opinion may also help you avoid doctor biases. For example, some surgeons own radiation treatment centers. “So there may be a conflict of interest if you present to a surgeon that is recommending radiation because there is some ownership of that type of facility,” Dr. Jim Hu, director of robotic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet.

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Other reasons to get a second opinion include:

• To see a doctor who has more experience treating your type of cancer
• You have a rare type of cancer
• There are several ways to treat your cancer
• You feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you, or isn’t giving you good advice
• You have trouble understanding your doctor
• You don’t like the treatment your doctor is recommending, or you’re worried about its possible side effects
• Your insurance company wants you to get another medical opinion
• Your cancer isn’t improving on your current treatment

Bottom line, being proactive about your health could be a matter of life or death. Learn as much as you can from as many experts as you can, so that you know that you did your best to take control of your health.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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