Are brain tumors becoming more common? In the opinion of Dr. Robert Lieberson, there are some theories that explain this increase in incidence. Recent developments in diagnostic technology and changes in tumor classification are likely contributing factors. In addition to these factors, further diagnostic advancements will likely lead to rising rates of specific diagnoses. The key challenges in advancing research in the field of brain tumors are related to the size of the study population, the lack of reliable data, and the difficulty in finding enough case samples for meaningful analyses.
There are two types of brain tumors: primary and secondary. Primary tumors originate in the brain, and metastatic tumors occur in other parts of the body. Primary brain tumors are estimated to affect eighty-five thousand people in the United States each year. Of those, 60,000 will be benign and 25,000 will be malignant. While they occur most frequently in older adults, they can develop in children of any age. In fact, brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children under 14 years of age.
Dr. Robert Lieberson's point of view is surviving rates for brain and spinal cord tumors vary significantly. They are also influenced by age and type of tumor. The survival rates of people over 65 are lower than those of people of other ages. However, these statistics are based on data from patients who were diagnosed five years earlier, so it is possible that a better outlook may exist today. However, the numbers may not be entirely representative of the current situation, as treatments continue to advance.
What type of brain tumor should you be looking for? There are 120 different types of brain tumors. These types vary in size, location, and aggressiveness. While malignant tumors tend to grow faster, non-malignant tumors tend to have a shorter lifespan and are not as aggressive. Malignant tumors may spread throughout the brain and spinal cord, so they should be treated as quickly as possible. Tumors are graded by their aggressiveness.
The current classification of brain tumors based on immunohistochemistry and microscopic morphology provides only a generalized view of brain tumors and their biology. They still have a long way to go before we can identify effective therapies. In the meantime, new treatment approaches will be required to uncover novel drug targets. It is critical to invest in research and develop an overarching strategy that promotes multidisciplinary research.
While there is a lack of definitive studies that can tell us whether brain tumors are increasing or declining in number, promising research areas continue to emerge. Among these areas is identifying additional funding sources for this area of the field, especially for childhood brain tumors. Childhood brain tumors require large research budgets and collaborative grants. For this reason, scientists are eager to leverage many sources of funding to accelerate research in this area.
As previously stated by Dr. Robert Lieberson, a more integrated research culture is needed to improve the treatment of brain tumors. Traditional metrics such as grant funding and publication in high-impact journals focus on individual achievements and work against deeper levels of collaborative activity. It is therefore important to develop new reward structures and methods to encourage more collaboration among researchers in different disciplines. The goal of such a change is to make brain tumors more prevalent and treatable in 2022. The current research culture is too rigid to support this kind of collaboration.
A new treatment regimen has also been found that can improve the odds of successful treatment. In addition to the current standard of care, some treatments may improve patient quality of life. This re-operation can also extend survival time by a modest degree. But, it must be emphasized that this treatment option is not recommended for patients with poor Karnofsky performance status or if the condition is not curable by other means.
If treatment is not able to prevent the disease, doctors can also use MRI spectroscopy. This imaging method can help identify which brain regions are critical and which are not. MRI spectroscopy is considered a noninvasive method of tissue sampling. However, it does not have the accuracy of a standard biopsy. When combined with other advanced diagnostic tools, it can provide a more accurate prediction of tumor behavior.
Understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in the development of cancer and their response to treatments is key. To fully understand brain tumor biology and treatments, it is crucial to collaborate with scientists working on nonmalignant brain diseases. Researchers from these fields have already achieved significant progress in understanding how tumors develop, including how the tumor-associated macrophages affect tumor biology. They have also identified the molecular pathways that promote tumor resistance to these therapies, allowing them to extend their benefits.