How long can you live with brain cancer?

My father is 57 years old, the doctor diagnosed him with undifferentiated oligodendroglioma brain cancer. Can this disease be cured? How long can my father live? (Minh, Binh Duong )

Reply:

Brain cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the brain, including two main types: primary and secondary brain cancer (due to metastasis from other places such as the lungs, breasts, colon, etc.).

Depending on the location, size, and nature of the tumor, brain cancer has different symptoms and levels. Benign or malignant brain tumors can affect the patient's health, leaving many sequelae.

Whether brain cancer can be cured or not depends on many factors such as physical condition, age, disease stage, tumor location that can be surgically treated, treatment regimen suitable for the patient...

Your father was diagnosed with anaplastic oligodendroglioma, one of the slowest growing gliomas, commonly found in the frontal lobe.

The size and location of a brain tumor can cause different symptoms. Some common symptoms include headaches, vomiting or nausea (unrelated to gastrointestinal problems), double vision, blurred vision or loss of vision, difficulty walking or balance due to weakness in the limbs, seizures, and behavioral changes.

Brain cancer often has headache symptoms. Photo: Freepik — Brain cancer often has headache symptoms. Photo: *Freepik*

Diagnosis of glioblastoma is mainly based on brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and brain tumor biopsy. Based on factors such as physical condition, comorbidities, nutritional status, pathology, tumor grade, patient's spirit and wishes, the doctor will prescribe an appropriate treatment regimen. Some methods that can be applied are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and radiosurgery.

According to statistics from the American Cancer Society in 2020, the 5-year survival rate for brain cancer patients varies according to the nature of the tumor and by age. With glioblastoma, the 5-year survival rate for patients aged 20-44 is about 76%, 45-54 years old is reduced to 67%, and over 55 years old, the survival rate is only about 45% in 5 years.

However, the patient's survival rate also depends on many other factors such as age, health status, mental state, ability to respond to treatment methods...

You and your family should encourage and accompany your father throughout the treatment journey. Depending on the condition, the doctor will advise and choose the optimal treatment method.

MD.CKI Nguyen Chi Thanh
Oncology Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

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