OUTLOOK
26 September 2018

See brain cancer as more than just the sum of biology

Neurological symptoms, as well as biological changes in cells and tissues, contribute to the disease’s characteristics, says Terri S. Armstrong.

Terri Armstrong⁰

Terri Armstrong
1. Terri S. Armstrong is a senior neuro-oncology investigator at the US National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
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Glioma, a broad category comprising tumours that originate in the brain, is the most common primary cancer of the central nervous system in adults. Almost all cases of glioma relapse despite intensive treatment, and those affected often die of the disease. In contrast to other types of solid-tumour cancer, people with glioma have a disease trajectory that encompasses both a cancer and a neurological disorder. The discovery of glioma typically follows the development of neurological signs and symptoms. Such an onset can occur suddenly, with those affected requiring urgent or emergency medical care, or more insidiously, with neurological signs and symptoms that slowly progress in severity and extent. These symptoms, which include headaches, seizures, neurocognitive dysfunction and deficits in motor or language skills, have wide-reaching effects that can affect a person’s ability not only to work, but also to care for themselves.

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Nature 561, S45 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-06706-5

This article is part of Nature Outlook: Brain cancer, an editorially independent supplement produced with the financial support of third parties. About this content.

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