Names/Classifications of brain tumors

[sailorhathor]

I have a character, female, 23, in early 1970's America. (Providing this info incase it makes a difference.) She survived a brain tumor of the hippocampus in 1972, but it reoccurs in 1978 when she's 28 or 29. The tumor is again in the hippocampus but has now has spread into the brain stem. It's considered inoperable and most likely terminal,

Comments

[sollersuk]

I don't know how much this will help but have you considered also searching with the British spelling "tumour"? That would give you British sites.

[sailorhathor]

I hadn't considered that, but I'll try it and see what other sites I get. :)

[delordra]

Glioblastoma might work well for you - it's the most common and most aggressive type of brain tumor. The survival rate is low, but it's certainly not inconceivable that she might survive the first bout. I'm not sure what the survival rates were in the 70s, though.

[subluxate]

There was a study in the early 70s validating radiation therapy to treat glioblastomas; if that was used, the character may have survived. Since tumors can recur distantly, it may fit best.

[sailorhathor]

I was thinking that the first tumor wasn't as aggressive and just stayed in one area. The second one is the Big Daddy tumor. :D

Yes, I saw something about glioblastoma on that page I linked to, but I wasn't sure if it would apply. Thank you for some clarification!

*Related icon* :D

[sailorhathor]

I saw that on the page I linked to, but I wasn't sure if it would apply. Sounds like it would work for my purposes. And thanks for additional links; I definitely want to read as much about this as I can so I can include lots of real life tidbits. :)

[kitryan]

The Emporor of all Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee is a very readable account of the history of cancer and cancer research and treatment and if you hadn't already read it, could be useful for getting info on the cutting edge and the standard of care in the period. The dramatic differences in available treatments and doctors' attitudes at different times was so thing that really struck me when I read it. I've already returned it to the library so I can't look myself for specifically applicable info.

[kitryan]

Ack. Please ignore my misspelling of 'Emperor'

[sailorhathor]

Thank you, I'll look for it! One of the most interesting things I found in my research was how much the diagnostic techniques changed from the 70's to the 80's. That part, at least, has become easier with time.