To my dear bt family online and all my Meningimates,
I had a good time in Florida at the ABTA conference in Tampa and just handed out the rest of the free ABTA literature (BT Primer handbook and BT Medical Dictionary) from the American Brain Tumor Association I picked up in Florida to the new members of our local monthly BT support group in Tucson at UMC/AZCC, now a Banner Hospital where I had my successful left lung tumor removal surgery for squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer last fall, September, 2014. (It was found early and there was no lymph node involvement.)
I think these ABTA publications are a very informative gift for many of our fine doctors who may not have had a chance to read them either. Topics include a dozen specific brain tumor types and various surgery, radiation and chemo treatment options, comprehensive brain tumor support services, fund raising events and volunteer opportunities everyone should be made aware of as soon as possible. For the past twenty years the ABTA.org in Chicago and the National Brain Tumor Society on both the east and west coast have been my GO TO non profit organizations for individual support, regional events and educational resources for the complex needs and advocacy issues of all brain tumor patients and their caregivers.
For example, the ABTA Meningioma brochure lists eight less invasive drug treatment options (not standard surgery and radiation therapy) that have been used with some success and/or are being further explored and investigated in recent years for meningiomas. Some of you might want to ask your doctors about these clinical trial and investigational drugs. Hydroxyurea, and progesterone receptor inhibitors like the Mifepristone I take, Somatostatin analogs, Targeted molecular agents, Epidermal growth factor inhibitors (EGFR), Platelet derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR), Vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (VEGF), and Immunotherapy/the use of biological agents to stimulate your immune system.
For more information and printed materials contact the ABTA Careline at 1-800-886-2282 or visit their website at www.abta.org
