New Caringbridge site under construction, Please excuse the mess. ***http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ajdavis***
Welcome to Amandas Web Page. It has been provided to keep family & friends updated about our 21 yr. old daughters battle with a rare brain tumor
(Choroid Plexus Carcinoma).
Dx @14 years old
Treatments
1/27/2002~7/3/2002~4/24/2007


Went 4 Years cancer FREE 7/3/2006 or 12/3/06 Dr says from date of last treatment. We take every day we can get!
We Have hit a bump in the road MRI as of 4/3/07--7/1/08 showed changes. Gamma Knife 4/24/07
Wideawake - LIVESTRONG LIVE

PLEASE KEEP HER IN YOUR PRAYERS
(WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE)
Please sign her guestbook, Let her know you stopped by. Thanks.



Brain Tumor Facts

About Brain Tumors

* A brain tumor is a cluster of abnormal cells growing in the brain.
* There are more than 120 different types of brain tumors; some are malignant (cancer), many are benign (non-cancerous).
* It is expected that 195,000+ people in the United States will be diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. Of those, about 45,000 are primary brain tumors; about 150,000 are metastatic brain tumors.
* Primary brain tumors are those that begin in the brain and tend to stay in the brain. Metastatic brain tumors begin as a cancer elsewhere in the body and migrate, or metastasize, to the brain.
* Brain tumor prevalence refers to the total number of people who have a brain tumor. It is estimated that 359,000 people in the United States are living with the diagnosis of a primary brain tumor.
* Brain tumors are difficult to diagnose; their symptoms often mimic other diseases.
* Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children under the age of 20.
* Benign or malignant, primary or metastatic, brain tumors are treatable.
* Standard treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
* The cause of brain tumors is unknown.
* More knowledge about brain tumors has been gained in the last ten years than in the past hundred years.

Visit http://www.abta.org/index.cfm?contentid=12 to learn more.

Brain Tumors in Children and Young Adults

Brain tumors are the second most common cancer of childhood, and comprise approximately 25% of all pediatric cancers. Over 3,400 children are diagnosed in the U.S. each year; of that, about 2,600 will be under the age of 15. (1) Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children; they are the third leading cause of cancer death in young adults ages 20-39.

The types of brain tumors found in children are different from those in adults. Further complicating treatment is the fact that children's developing brains are more susceptible to damage from toxic treatments. Although more than 70% of children now survive their tumors, they are often left with long-term side-effects, including:

* Learning problems due to cognitive, neurological, and psychological changes.
* Vision and/or hearing impairments that can contribute to problems in school.
* Increased risk for second cancers due to the late-effects of treatment.

Treatments

* At present, standard treatments for brain tumors include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy (separately or in combination).
* Only two new treatments for brain tumors have been approved in the past 25 years. (4)
* Treatment for metastatic tumors can include surgery and/or radiation therapy.
* Clinical trials determine if promising new approaches to treatment are effective in patients.
* Enhancing the quality of life of people with brain tumors requires access to quality speciality care, clinical trials, follow-up care, and rehabilitative services.

Mortality Rates

Mortality rates remain unchanged in the last decade. For additional statistics, please refer to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States at www.cbtrus.org.
The importance of Brain Tumor Research and Data

Improving the outlook for adults and children with brain tumors requires research into their causes and better treatments for brain tumors. As stated before, only two new treatments for brain tumors have been approved in the past 25 years.

Complete and accurate data on all primary brain tumors is needed to provide the foundation for research leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, and investigations of its causes.

Choroid plexus carcinoma

Choroid plexus tumors (CPT) are rare tumors that arise from the intraventricular neuroepithelial tissue responsible for the production of CSF. Eighty percent are the benign choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) of WHO grade I, while the other 20% are the malignant choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) of WHO grade III. Both types, but especially the carcinoma, are common in children, though adults may also be affected. They account for 0.4-0.6% of all brain tumors, 2-4% of all pediatric brain tumors, and 10-20% of brain tumors in those less than one year of age.