“Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all – Emily Dickinson Hope is a very powerful and positive emotion that many people rely on during their fight against brain cancer. The meaning of hope and the …

Hope Throughout the Journey Read More »

Why are clinical trials randomized? Patients and families sometimes ask this question about the Phase 2/3 Toca 5 study. To better understand this challenging and often frustrating topic, I interviewed Asha Das, M.D., vice president of clinical development and medical affairs at Tocagen. She is also a board-certified neurologist and practiced medicine as a neuro-oncologist. …

The Importance and Challenge of Clinical Trial Randomization in Cancer Read More »

Clinical trials are necessary to advance potential new treatments and demonstrate effectiveness. For patients who decide to participate in a clinical trial, finding the right clinical trial for them can be challenging and there is a lot information to absorb. If you are receiving care at a hospital that has a dedicated brain tumor program, …

Choosing the Right Brain Tumor Clinical Trial Read More »

I often encounter patients and their caregivers who are unaware that receiving Avastin too early in their treatment plan can actually disqualify them from participating in many clinical trials. This causes a lot of frustration for patients who want to participate in such trials but only learn about this issue after it’s too late. Improved …

The Impact of Avastin (Bevacizumab) on Clinical Trial Eligibility Read More »

With so many things going on while battling a brain tumor, it’s challenging to pay attention to nutrition. To complicate things further, conventional treatments can cause some people to experience taste changes, which makes food choices and nutrition a moving target. I am commonly asked by survivors and their caregivers if diet can be helpful …

Nutrition for Brain Cancer Patients – Eating Better, Feeling Better, Living Better Read More »

In many studies describing the experience of high grade brain tumor survivors, fatigue is named as being one of the most debilitating factors that decreases quality of life. This condition is characterized by overwhelming tiredness that cannot be remedied by a good night’s sleep. People with fatigue report that they are unable to participate in …

Fatigue: A common symptom and source of frustration in the fight against brain cancer Read More »

Over the last 30 years I have supported hundreds of patients and their caregivers in their fight against brain cancer. From this experience, three of the most important things patients and their caregivers can do is: Seek care at the most experienced institution near you that sees brain cancer patients every week. These are usually …

Top Three Tips for Brain Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers Read More »

Brain cancer is a devastating disease. Patients and their family and friends are shocked when they are diagnosed with brain cancer. Many people can describe the event or series of events that were the tell-tale signs leading up to their diagnosis and are often overwhelmed with the volume of information and adapting to their “new …

Consider Becoming a Medical Explorer in the Fight Against Brain Cancer Read More »