I'm Dr. Alyx Porter, a
neuro-oncologist at Mayo Clinic,
and I'm here to answer some of
the important questions you
might have about brain tumors.
The reasons cancer can progress is far more
complicated than the influence
of dietary sugar.
There have been studies in patients with
high-grade glioma that showed
that a ketogenic diet,
which is low carb, high protein,
high fat, may have a positive impact on
survival. With a high protein,
high fat combination,
we know this may not be
a healthy long-term strategy.
And for many people, it's not palatable.
The type of diet that has proven to have
the highest health benefit
is the Mediterranean diet -
high in whole grains, seasonal fruit,
vegetables, plant-based proteins,
and fish or fish oils.
This type of diet limits meat and
processed foods, and has been
proven to reduce systemic inflammation,
which is widely beneficial for
health overall, and is much more sustainable.
No. There are
some brain tumors that are benign,
non-cancerous and may be found by accident.
Some of these tumors stay silent and don't
require any intervention
and don't cause symptoms.
Other benign tumors may have the ability to
grow and cause neurologic symptoms.
While they don't cause mortality or death,
they can be associated with
neurologic morbidity or symptoms.
These tumors may require surgery,
radiation, or a combination of both.
A significant body of
research has been dedicated to
identifying the cause of
both benign and malignant tumors.
We know there are some genetic syndromes
that are passed along in families
that can promote tumor growth
within the central nervous system.
Otherwise, environmental exposures to
ionizing radiation is one
of the few known causes.
For malignant brain cancers,
we have not yet identified
a cure. For
some benign and less aggressive tumors,
cure may be achieved
through surgical resection.
Palliative medicine is a specialty
within medicine that focuses on
alleviating symptom burden that
individuals with serious illnesses endure.
The role of
the palliative medicine specialist
on the treatment team is to help
ensure the patient's quality of life
is maximized during cancer treatment.
Hospice is when treatment options
have been exhausted and
the patient is no longer well enough to
withstand aggressive cancer therapy.
Technically, an individual
is appropriate for hospice if
they have a disease that is likely to
end their life within six months.
Sometimes, patients
outlive this period of time
and start feeling better once
the aggressive therapies have stopped.
There is a spectrum of
hospice care that ranges from
episodic check-ins to full care
in an inpatient setting.
The social worker is often part of
our care team who can help patients and
their families access the resources needed to
promote independence
and provide support where needed.
Their role may range from
making referrals for
medical equipment to
individual or family counseling.
There is a period of shock
and grief that follows
a brain tumor diagnosis that can
be difficult to navigate.
It's important that you
trust your medical team.
Getting a second opinion can be
part of building that trust.
Once you've established care,
designating a friend or
caregiver to help you stay organized with
appointments and medications is critically
important, as this journey
can be overwhelming to navigate.
It's important to update
your healthcare directives
regularly, so
that your medical team and loved ones
are clear about
your wishes in the best
and the worst case scenarios.
In any successful partnership, communication
is at the foundation.
If it helps you, keep notes about
how you feel or your questions
that arise, so that you
are certain to use the time with
your medical team efficiently
to ensure your needs are met.
Never hesitate to ask your medical team
any questions or concerns you have.
Being informed makes all the difference.
Thanks for your time and we wish you well.