#Pediatric Brain tumor

[pediatric-care-new-jersey]

Advanced Services for Pediatric Brain Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment

Pediatric brain tumors are one of the most challenging medical conditions, requiring expert care and specialized treatment due to the unique nature of children’s brains. Early detection and effective treatment are critical for improving outcomes and preserving quality of life. At the Pediatric Brain Tumor Center at the New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute, we offer advanced, state-of-the-art services for diagnosing and treating pediatric brain tumors. Our multidisciplinary team of experts works tirelessly to provide the best possible care for young patients and their families.

Understanding Pediatric Brain Tumors

Brain tumors in children can occur at any age, with varying symptoms depending on the tumor’s type, size, and location. Common symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting, seizures, vision problems, and changes in behavior or development. These tumors can be benign or malignant, but regardless of type, they can cause significant neurological complications if left untreated. The most common types of pediatric brain tumors include gliomas, medulloblastomas, ependymomas, and germ cell tumors.

Because a child’s brain is still developing, treating pediatric brain tumors requires specialized techniques and an understanding of how treatments will impact the growing brain. At the Pediatric Brain Tumor Center, we offer comprehensive care that involves the latest diagnostic tools and therapeutic methods to address the individual needs of each child.

Comprehensive Diagnosis of Pediatric Brain Tumors

An accurate and timely diagnosis is essential to formulating an effective treatment plan. The Pediatric Brain Tumor Center uses the most advanced diagnostic technologies available to ensure precise identification of the tumor’s location, type, and characteristics.

Imaging Techniques

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): The cornerstone of brain tumor diagnosis, MRI offers high-resolution images of the brain, helping doctors assess the tumor’s size, location, and potential impact on surrounding tissues. It is non-invasive and does not use radiation, making it especially suitable for children.

CT Scans (Computed Tomography): In certain cases, a CT scan may be used to evaluate the tumor's structure, particularly if an MRI is unavailable or if there are concerns about bleeding within the brain.

Functional MRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI): These advanced imaging techniques allow doctors to map functional areas of the brain, such as speech, motor skills, and vision, to avoid damaging these critical regions during surgery.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans: A PET scan is sometimes used to detect areas of increased metabolic activity in the brain, which can help determine the tumor’s aggressiveness.

Biopsy and Molecular Testing

In some cases, doctors may recommend a biopsy, where a small tissue sample is taken from the tumor for further analysis. Molecular testing is then performed on the sample to identify specific genetic mutations, which can provide valuable information on tumor behavior and the best treatment options.

Read More: Learn How to Beat Pediatric Brain Tumors to Give Your Child a Bright Future

Cutting-Edge Treatment Options for Pediatric Brain Tumors

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Center creates a personalized treatment plan that may involve one or more of the following modalities:

1. Surgical Treatment

Surgical removal of the tumor is often the first line of treatment for pediatric brain tumors. However, surgery can be complex due to the tumor's location and proximity to critical brain areas. Our team of pediatric neurosurgeons is highly skilled in performing delicate procedures to safely remove or reduce the tumor while preserving as much normal brain tissue as possible.

For certain tumors that are difficult to reach, minimally invasive surgical techniques such as neuroendoscopy are used. These techniques involve smaller incisions and the use of cameras and specialized instruments to remove tumors or take biopsy samples with minimal risk and faster recovery times.

2. Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is often used to shrink or destroy tumors, especially if the tumor cannot be entirely removed through surgery. However, due to the sensitive nature of a child’s developing brain, radiation therapy is approached with great caution. Proton beam therapy is one of the most advanced forms of radiation therapy used in pediatric brain tumors, offering more precision than traditional X-ray radiation, thus minimizing damage to healthy brain tissue and reducing long-term side effects.

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Center has access to the latest radiation technology, ensuring the most effective treatment with the least risk of adverse effects.

3. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with surgery and radiation, particularly for malignant tumors. Chemotherapy involves using powerful drugs to target and kill cancer cells. Pediatric brain tumor chemotherapy requires careful monitoring to ensure it targets the tumor effectively while minimizing side effects, such as nausea, hair loss, and immune suppression.

The center’s pediatric oncologists are experts in administering chemotherapy tailored specifically for children, ensuring that dosages are adjusted for their age and size.

4. Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy

Recent advancements in cancer treatment have led to the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies that specifically target the genetic mutations or specific proteins that fuel tumor growth. These treatments are often used for tumors that do not respond to traditional chemotherapy or radiation.

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Center stays at the forefront of clinical trials and experimental therapies, offering families access to promising new treatments that may provide additional hope.

Long-Term Care and Rehabilitation

After treatment, children may face challenges related to neurological function, growth, and development. The Pediatric Brain Tumor Center offers a comprehensive follow-up care plan that includes ongoing monitoring for tumor recurrence, cognitive evaluations, and rehabilitation services.

Rehabilitation therapies such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are integral components of the recovery process. These therapies help children regain lost abilities, improve motor skills, and develop coping strategies for any cognitive or developmental delays caused by the tumor or its treatment.

Supporting Families

At the Pediatric Brain Tumor Center, we understand that dealing with a child’s brain tumor diagnosis can be emotionally and physically overwhelming for families. Our compassionate care team provides emotional support, counseling, and educational resources to help families navigate the treatment process and make informed decisions.

Conclusion

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Center at the New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute offers advanced, comprehensive services for diagnosing and treating pediatric brain tumors. With a dedicated team of pediatric specialists, state-of-the-art technology, and a patient-centered approach, we are committed to providing the highest level of care to children and families facing this challenging diagnosis. Through innovative treatments, compassionate care, and long-term support, we aim to give children the best chance for recovery and a bright future.

[supernerdninja]

I Can Attest To The Fact That Brain Tumors Suck, Which Is Why I Go Hard For The Environment

More children die from brain tumors than any other cancer; those who survive must navigate a lifetime of side effects. The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (www.curethekids.org/stay-connected) is the largest patient advocacy funder of pediatric brain tumor research and leading champion for families and survivors, providing patients, caregivers, and siblings with information, financial assistance,…

[hcg-hospitals-hcg-network]

Expert Neurosurgery Care at HCG Hospitals: Brain, Spine, and Nerve Specialists

Discover leading neurosurgery at HCG Hospitals, offering specialized treatment for brain, spinal cord, and nerve conditions. Our dedicated team provides comprehensive, personalized care, integrating advanced technology and non-surgical approaches for optimal patient well-being and improved quality of life.

[karvokr]

consult required

the brain runs on impulse, instinct, and input. and it responds best to consistent, hands-on care.

pairings: neurosurgeon!nanami x trauma surgeon!reader content warnings: mdni, unprotected piv sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), desk sex, semi-public sex, established relationship (married), creampie/slight breeding kink if you squint, overstim, aftercare, cum-eating :p, mutual obsession, grey's anatomy realm of believability, code of conduct violations (professionals not being professional) <3

“You’re going to give yourself another headache.”

Your arms are crossed as you lean against the door frame of his office. It’s past midnight, and the hospital has gone still– only the occasional squeak of rubber soles and the low hum of fluorescents break through the silence. Nanami doesn’t look up. He’s seated at his desk, back impossibly straight despite the hour, jaw set. 

He looks too casual– just a fitted black compression shirt, sleeves pushed to his elbows, blue scrub pants slung low on his hips. No lab coat. No tie. But you’re not surprised. A nurse mentioned he’d come out of surgery less than thirty minutes ago.

He flips a page in the chart, but his focus clearly isn’t on post-op notes anymore.

“You should be home,” he replies. “Or in the OR. Heard another case came in.”

You arch a brow, tilting your head at him. “What, keeping tabs on me now?”

His fingers still against the page, eyes flicking up beneath tired brows. “I know your schedule better than mine,” he says. “You’ve been on the board since six this morning.”

You smirk. “Jealous?”

“No.” He closes the chart– slowly, deliberately. “Concerned.”

You scoff, closing the door behind you and stepping closer to where he sits, leaning in just enough for him to notice the shift in heat. “Hard to sleep alone, you know,” you murmur. “Might be easier if my husband came home before sunrise for once.”

Nanami’s gaze holds steady, but something softens around the edges– like guilt slipping through a crack in the armor. “They paged me in for a tumor resection,” he replies, and you see his shoulders start to slump as he brings a hand up to rub at his eyes. “Midline. Pediatric. I couldn’t push it.”

Your teasing fades a little at that, but you don’t move away. You brush your fingers along the edge of his desk as you rest against it, voice quieting. “I’m not mad, Kento,” you say as you glance at him, eyes warm. “I just miss you.”

After a long pause, he stands, chair scraping softly beneath him. He steps in close and his hands find your waist– steady, grounding.

“I miss you too,” he says, voice lower now. Closer. “Every hour I’m here.”

You let the moment stretch, then loop your arms around his neck and smile– soft, a little wicked. “Then maybe you should start sneaking me into the on-call room again. For old times’ sake.”

“Do you flirt like this with all of your colleagues, or am I just lucky?”

“What can I say? I’ve got a thing for men who operate on brains for a living.”

His hands slide up beneath your scrubs, resting just beneath your chest– warm. “How coincidental– I’ve got a thing for stubborn, brilliant women who don’t know how to take a break.”

You huff a quiet laugh, tilting your head. “Bold words from a man who calls four hours of sleep and a protein bar a full recovery. What exactly did they teach you in med school?”

Nanami doesn’t smile, not really– but something shifts in his gaze. He closes the distance, lifting you onto the desk with practiced ease, stepping between your thighs like it’s routine. His hand settles at your hip– light, but firm.

“That people like us don’t stop until someone makes us.” His hand glides past your chest, fingertips brushing your collarbones under your top. “Which is why I’m staging an intervention.”

“Yeah?” You lift a brow, lips tugging into something a little dangerous. “And what does that look like, Doctor Nanami?”

He doesn’t answer right away. Just watches you for a long, weighted second– like he’s measuring the risk, the timing, and the rule he’s about to break for the second time this week.

Then his hand trails from your chest back to your thigh. “Well, Doctor Nanami,” he says low, “it looks like me doing my job… taking care of my strong-willed, overworked, impossibly beautiful wife.”

He kisses you– firm, focused, like he’s been holding this in since morning rounds. His hands slide down over your hips, gathering the soft fabric of your scrub pants as he pulls you against him.

There’s no rush– but there’s urgency. The kind that simmers hot and quiet beneath long days and longer nights, under passing and fleeting glances across the surgery floor. His mouth trails down your neck, hot and open, and when his fingers slip beneath the waistband of your scrubs and underwear in one fluid, practiced motion, he groans against your skin like it hurts to finally touch you.

“Still so wet for me,” he breathes, voice raw with restraint. “You’re going to be the death of my self-control.”

You gasp when his fingers slide through your folds– slow and thorough, like he’s trying to memorize you again after too long apart. Your hips twitch forward, instinctive, chasing the drag of his touch. He gives you more– just barely– enough to make you ache for it.

“You say that,” you whisper, breath stuttering, “but I think you like losing control sometimes.”

He chuckles softly against your neck, lips brushing your pulse. “Only for you,” he murmurs. Then his thumb circles your clit– tight, measured pressure that makes your thighs tremble. “Only ever for you.”

He pushes two fingers inside you, slow and deep, curling them just right like he already knows where you're falling apart. Your breath hitches, back arching into his body, and he presses closer, hand at your spine to keep you upright as he fucks you open with steady, calculated strokes.

“God, look at you,” he groans, watching the way your mouth parts, the way your hips roll. “Falling apart already.”

“Kento–” Your voice is half-whimper, half-warning.

He silences it with a kiss– messy and consuming, lips sliding over yours like he needs it as much as you do. His fingers pump into you harder, your slick soaking down his hand as he grinds his palm against your clit.

“So beautiful,” he murmurs into your mouth, voice breathless. “I’m so lucky.”

You’re shaking– legs trembling, body unraveling, clutching the back of his shirt like a lifeline, the fabric bunched and twisted between your fingers. You reach down blindly with your free hand, palming him through his scrubs, and the soft, strangled groan it earns you is reward enough to make your thighs twitch.

He’s so hard for you– thick and straining beneath the fabric, the shape of him hot and heavy against your hand. You rub your palm over him again, slower this time, and his hips stutter into the movement, but he doesn’t stop. He never stops. His fingers keep fucking into you, curling just right, fingertips brushing that spot inside you over and over while his palm presses hard and steady against your clit.

“That’s it,” he rasps, eyes locked on your face like it’s the only thing keeping him upright. “Let me feel you.”

Your whole body tenses, thighs clenching around his wrist, the heat coiling low in your stomach about to snap. It’s too much– his mouth on yours, his hand deep inside you, his cock hard and hot under your touch, his voice in your ear like a prayer.

You gasp, and it breaks. Pleasure floods you in a wave so sharp it steals your breath, white-hot and blinding as you cum hard around his fingers, hips bucking, a cry caught between your lips and his. Your grip on his shirt tightens, the world narrowing to the rhythm of your pulse and the warmth of his mouth and the way he groans your name as you fall apart in his arms. He doesn’t stop– just slows, eases you through it, holding you upright while you shake against his chest.

You’re still catching your breath when he withdraws his hand, and you hear the slick sound of your release as he brings his fingers to his mouth– sucks them clean without breaking eye contact.

“You taste like home,” he says, voice barely there.

Then he undoes the tie on his pants.

There’s nothing rushed about it– just the soft hiss of fabric sliding down his hips, the flex of his jaw as he wraps a hand around himself and strokes once, twice. His cock is flushed and heavy, the tip already leaking, slick with the mess you’ve made of him. You can see the way his breath hitches as he fists himself– slow, controlled, like he’s restraining the urge to lose it right then and there.

He leans in, pressing his forehead to yours, voice strained.

“Do you want me, baby?”

“Yes,” you pant, voice shaking. “Please.”

He tugs your scrubs down, pulling them off and tossing them to the floor without a second thought. He lifts one of your legs, opening you up for him, his gaze dragging down to where you’re wet and aching for him.

His cock twitches in his hand at the sight.

“You sure?”

You meet his eyes– darker than you’ve seen them in weeks, pupils blown, expression ruined. “I’m yours, Kento. Always.”

The thick head of him pushes in slowly, stretching you inch by inch until you’re clenching tight around him. You gasp, one hand clawing into his back, the other gripping the edge of his desk like it might anchor you.

He’s so deep it burns in the best way– thick and hot, the slide of him dragging against every sensitive inch inside you. He groans low in his throat as he bottoms out, forehead dropping to your shoulder.

“You’re perfect,” he breathes. “Always are.”

He pulls back just enough to thrust again– harder now, smoother, the wet sound of your bodies colliding echoing off the office walls. The desk creaks under the force, your breath catching with every impact as he finds a rhythm– filthy, focused, relentless.

Each stroke slams into you at just the right angle, hitting deep, pressing against that spot that makes your vision blur. The sound of him– grunting through clenched teeth, breath hitching, skin slapping against yours– is almost enough to push you over the edge again.

“No one else gets this,” he grits out, hand locked on your waist, the other holding your thigh to keep you open. “No one else ever will.”

And all you can do is nod, whimper, dig your nails into his back more as the coil inside you tightens again– faster, needier, hungrier. He’s fucking you with practiced precision– precision born from obsession, from every late-night memory, every time he’s taken you apart and put you back together again.

He knows your body better than he knows his own.

Every thrust is fervent, deliberate– merciless in the way his hips slam against yours, and you swear you can feel him in your chest, in your bones, curling like heat around your spine.

“That’s it,” he groans, jaw tight, sweat beading at his temple. “Just like that– fuck, I love you.”

Your walls clamp down around him and he stutters– just once– hips faltering, muscles twitching, as if the feel of you pulling him deeper is enough to break his control completely.

“Kento– please–”

You’re too close to form words, every nerve on fire. Your body tightens, your nails drag red lines across his back, and he fucks you through it– hard, desperate, entirely his.

A second orgasm slams into you– shattering and sharp, stealing your breath like a rip current. You cry out, sobbing his name, head thrown back as your legs shake around his waist and your body clamps down around his cock.

He groans– wrecked, raw, guttural– as you milk him.

“Fuck– you’re everything– perfect. Take me so well– fuck, gonna fill you up, baby.”

He thrusts once, twice more, then stills completely, buried to the hilt as he spills into you with a strangled moan, forehead pressed to yours, breath catching as he cums hard. His hand trembles where it grips your thigh, the other sliding to your lower back to hold you close.

You feel the warmth of it inside you, thick and deep, the pulse of him still twitching as he gasps your name against your cheek. The only sound for a long moment is your breathing—ragged, uneven, tangled together like your bodies still are.

When he finally pulls back to look at you, his gaze is soft. Tender. Like you’ve broken something in him just by loving him like this.

“Couldn’t do this without you,” he whispers, voice hoarse, fingers brushing along your cheekbone with a tenderness that makes your chest ache.

You swallow, blinking up at him as your fingers tighten just slightly in his shirt. “You don’t have to.” Your voice is quiet. “You’ll never have to.”

That pulls a quiet breath from him– almost a laugh. His thumb strokes your cheek again before he dips down, pressing a kiss to your temple. Then another, lower, at the curve of your jaw. Unrushed.

He eases out of you slowly, carefully, murmuring soft apologies against your skin when you flinch at the aftershock. You feel the slick mix of you both starting to slip down your thigh, and his hands are already there, steadying you.

“Stay still,” he says gently. “Let me clean you up.”

You expect him to reach for tissues, maybe your scrub pants– but instead he kneels, drops to his knees between your legs like it’s instinct, like worship, and rubs his hands along your thighs, gently guiding them apart.

“Kento–”

He looks up at you, gaze steady. “Let me.”

He leans in, tongue dragging slow through the mess between your thighs, licking up his own release with a groan that vibrates through your core. His hands hold you firmly in place, and all you can do is gasp– overstimulated, wrecked, trembling all over again.

When he’s finished, he presses a slow kiss to the inside of your thigh before standing, tucking himself away and pulling your scrubs back up your legs with gentle, almost clinical precision. His fingers linger briefly at your hip, like he’s reluctant to let go.

Once you’re both dressed again, he runs a hand through his hair and glances at his watch.

“I should take you home,” he says, voice low. “Let you sleep in a real bed. With a locked door. And fewer fluorescent lights.”

You smile, stepping into his space again, your hands sliding beneath the hem of his shirt just to feel skin. “Careful,” you murmur, resting your cheek against his chest. “That almost sounds like romance. Might have to report you to HR.”

Nanami exhales a quiet laugh– subtle, but real– and wraps an arm around your waist, anchoring you to him.

“Pretty sure the HR violations started when you sat on my desk,” he says dryly.

“I was checking on my husband,” you counter, not bothering to hide your grin.

“Mm.” His lips brush the crown of your head. “Very professional.”

dr.nanami as promised <3 planning on turning most of these into fully fleshed-out fics, lmk which ones you would want me to expand most!! and let me know which au you want next :p thx for reading ily

[reasonsforhope]

"In a first-ever human clinical trial, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed at the University of Florida successfully reprogrammed patients’ immune systems to fiercely attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor.

The results in four adult patients mirrored those in 10 pet dog patients suffering from brain tumors whose owners approved of their participation.

The discovery represents a potential new way to recruit the immune system to fight treatment-resistant cancers using an iteration of mRNA technology and lipid nanoparticles, similar to COVID-19 vaccines, but with two key differences: use of a patient’s own tumor cells to create a personalized vaccine, and a newly engineered complex delivery mechanism within the vaccine.

“Instead of us injecting single particles, we’re injecting clusters of particles that are wrapping around each other like onions,” said senior author Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D., a UF Health pediatric oncologist who pioneered the new vaccine, which like other immunotherapies attempts to “educate” the immune system that a tumor is foreign.

“These clusters alert the immune system in a much more profound way than single particles would.”

Among the most impressive findings was how quickly the new method spurred a vigorous immune-system response to reject the tumor, said Sayour, principal investigator at the University’s RNA Engineering Laboratory and McKnight Brain Institute investigator who led the multi-institution research team.

“In less than 48 hours, we could see these tumors shifting from what we refer to as ‘cold’—very few immune cells, very silenced immune response—to ‘hot,’ very active immune response,” he said.

“That was very surprising given how quick this happened, and what that told us is we were able to activate the early part of the immune system very rapidly against these cancers, and that’s critical to unlock the later effects of the immune response,” he explained in a video (below).

Glioblastoma is among the most devastating diagnoses, with median survival around 15 months. Current standard of care involves surgery, radiation and some combination of chemotherapy.

The new report, published May 1 in the journal Cell, is the culmination of seven years of promising studies, starting in preclinical mouse models.

In the cohort of four patients, genetic material called RNA was extracted from each patient’s own surgically removed tumor, and then messenger RNA (mRNA)—the blueprint of what is inside every cell, including tumor cells—was amplified and wrapped in the newly designed high-tech packaging of biocompatible lipid nanoparticles, to make tumor cells “look” like a dangerous virus when reinjected into the bloodstream to prompt an immune-system response.

The vaccine was personalized to each patient with a goal of getting the most out of their unique immune system...

While too early in the trial to assess the clinical effects of the vaccine, the patients either lived disease-free longer than expected or survived longer than expected. The 10 pet dogs lived a median of 4.5 months, compared with a median survival of 30-60 days typical for dogs with the condition.

The next step, with support from the Food and Drug Administration and the CureSearch for Children’s Cancer foundation, will be an expanded Phase I clinical trial to include up to 24 adult and pediatric patients to validate the findings. Once an optimal and safe dose is confirmed, an estimated 25 children would participate in Phase 2."

-via Good News Network, May 11, 2024

-video via University of Florida Health, May 1, 2024

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - June 13, 2023

1. U.S. judge blocks Florida ban on care for trans minors in narrow ruling, says ‘gender identity is real’

A federal judge temporarily blocked portions of a new Florida law that bans transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, ruling Tuesday that the state has no rational basis for denying patients treatment.

Transgender medical treatment for minors is increasingly under attack in many states and has been subject to restrictions or outright bans. But it has been available in the United States for more than a decade and is endorsed by major medical associations.

2. Eagle Who Thought Rock Was an Egg Finally Gets to Be a Dad

A week after their introduction the cage where the little eaglet was put, was removed so the two could interact more closely. When they were given food, a whole fish for Murphy and bite-sized pieces for his young charge, rather than each eating their separate dish, Murphy took his portion and ripped it up to feed to the baby.

3. Little penguins to reclaim Tasmanian car park as city-based population thrives

Not far from the centre of Tasmania's fourth largest city, a colony of the world's smallest penguins has been thriving, and their habitat is about to expand into an existing car park.

The bright lights and loud noises of Burnie have not been a deterrent for hundreds of penguins who set up home on the foreshore in the north-west Tasmanian city.

4. Latest population survey yields good news for endangered vaquita porpoise

The resilient little vaquita marina appears determined to survive the illegal fishing that has brought it dangerously close to extinction, according to the latest population survey. Despite an estimated annual decline of 45% in 2018, the endangered porpoise appears to be holding steady over the last five years, according to a report published Wednesday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

5. 'Extinct' butterfly species reappears in UK

The species, previously described as extinct in Britain for nearly 100 years, has suddenly appeared in countryside on the edge of London. Small numbers of black-veined whites have been spotted flying in fields and hedgerows in south-east London. First listed as a British species during the reign of King Charles II, they officially became extinct in Britain in 1925.

This month they have mysteriously appeared among their favourite habitat: hawthorn and blackthorn trees on the edge of London, where I and other naturalists watched them flitting between hedgerows.

6. Colombian is a hero in Peru: he rescued 25 puppies that were about to die in a fire

During a structural fire that occurred in a residential area of ​​Lima in Peru, a young Colombian became a hero. The Colombian, identified as Sebastián Arias, climbed onto the roof where the puppies were and threw them towards the community, that was waiting for them with sheets and mattresses. "I love them, dogs fascinate me," said the young man.

7. World-first trial for pediatric brain cancer

Researchers in Australia are conducting a world-first clinical trial for children diagnosed with ependymoma, a rare and devastating brain cancer. The trial aims to test a new drug called Deflexifol, which combines chemotherapy drugs 5-FU and leucovorin, offering potentially less toxic and more effective treatment compared to current options.

Ependymoma is the third most common brain tumor in children, and current treatments often lead to relapses, with a high fatality rate for those affected. The trial, led by researcher David Ziegler at the Kids Cancer Centre, has received support from the Kids with Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Institute NSW. The goal is to find a cure for every child diagnosed with ependymoma.

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[tragicallyuncreative]

Chapter five soon queen? Hope all is well!

Consider this my T-minus 12 hours or sooner announcement!!! I WILL be posting Chapter 5 tonight. Whether it be before or after midnight, I can't tell you, but I have tomorrow off and nothing due in the next 24 hours so I'm determined not to sleep before it's posted.

Thank y'all SO much for being so patient. All is well, just been so insanely busy that I haven't had a time to breath, let alone finish editing the chapter. I have learned so much in the last few weeks during my ICU rotations. Spent today managing hemorrhagic shock in a GI bleed patient (original bleed had been repaired and was about to be discharged when it was suddenly like a massacre 😬) and we gave 2 units of blood over the span of 1 minutes through a line in his internal jugular, then watched as they did a bedside emergent colonoscopy and put in 2 endoclips. Coolest shit I've seen in a while (well, not for him, poor guy). @fangirl-docintraining have you had your ICU rotations yet? As my fellow medical nerd who gets so excited/ enthusiastic about new stuff, you will love it!

The biggest reason this chapter has taken so long is my balance between keeping it completely accurate to 1960s medicine vs. incorporating modern elements in a realistic way because it's just hard not to and I really want to keep my plot/ outline intact. If anyone wants clarification about what elements are modern or not that I don't specify in my chapter notes, don't hesitate to ask. There are two articles that I would really love everyone to read before or after reading my chapter. For years, I have been so passionate about St. Jude Hospital and several specific doctors and the work they did/ continue to do to treat pediatric cancer. Dr. Emil Freireich essentially eliminated bleeding as a cause of death in leukemia patients after experimenting with his own platelets and finding the correct way to infuse them. He then proposed that the method of treating tuberculosis (using multiple drugs at once) could also cure leukemia. In 1962, pediatric leukemia was a death sentence. People thought it was crazy that Danny Thomas and these doctors were stating that they would find a way to cure it. Kids diagnosed would die within weeks of diagnosis from infection or bleeding to death. Their experimental treatment of combining two or more chemotherapeutic agents was seen as inhumane by many doctors, who thought that would make these children sicker and it was better to let them die peacefully. To everyone's shock, they saw success. This treatment was trialed in the early 60s, but didn't become something doctors would refer patients to St. Jude to until 1968ish. In 1970, the man behind this extraordinary discovery, Dr. Don Pinkel, was able to officially proclaim that childhood leukemia was no longer a fatal disease, with the cure rate at 50%. Today, ALL has a 94% cure rate, but the treatment remains harsh and lasts approximately 2.5 years. And despite all the hard work of researchers, other pediatric cancers such as Wilm's tumor, Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, medulloblastoma, DIPG, and more have high relapse rates and higher fatality rates (DIPG is something I encourage everyone to research and support higher funding for- a pediatric brain cancer with 0% survival rate). I actually went to a conference at St. Jude when I was 19 for childhood cancer advocates as I was a top fundraiser that year and interested in a future career there. I cannot say enough positive things about it!

So obviously, my story will deviate the timeline a little and the fictional Children's Hospital of Oklahoma (which in reality was not established until the 21st century) will be offering this experimental treatment in '65. Some of the medications and medical devices I include were not available until after '65 (for example, ports/ central lines in this particular model were not a thing), but I also make a point to use meds that were more common during the time, not include certain devices such as heart monitors, pulse ox, etc.

This has turned into a really long ramble. The point is, I hope everyone is ready to learn a lot this chapter and I encourage you to let this motivate you to learn more about childhood cancer, the fact that it is not as rare as many think, and that it is severely underfunded.

So far, this chapter is 15K words. My last few hours of edits may result in more or a little less. So get comfy and settle in when it's time to read- it's a big one with a lot going on!!

[prozdvoices]

doin a board game charity stream and raising money for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, come on by and donate if you can

[edgessunflower]

Shared

Pairing: Amelia Shepherd x Fem reader

Description: You and Amelia share the same experience of surviving cancer and being the reason that it brought you together

Amelia tears up seeing pictures of you during your cancer treatment a year back before the two of you met and got together ten months back after moving to Seattle from Long Island after getting a better job opportunity. You fit right in at Grey Sloan Memorial in the pediatric unit primarily looking after and treating special needs children from blind and deaf to autistic and physically disabled children you made sure to make them smile and help them even more than you had to, amelia was drawn to you ever since she first saw you with one of your patients with autism smiling at the sweet interaction before officially meeting each other a few hours later and hit it off with each other from that moment on and becoming fast friends over two months before feelings slowly developed over time which your shared friends definitely picked up on and got involved in to a degree to push the two of you together over four months. The two of you knew of the other's experience with cancer with amelia having a Meningioma brain tumor and you having breast cancer leading to a double mastectomy that left you scarred on your chest which you always made sure to keep covered, she felt every emotion and ounce of pain through the pictures of you throughout your journey of breast cancer leading her to slowly tell you her journey of having, discovering, and getting the tumor removed before pulling you into her arms while both of you openly sobbed with no other words being said about what either of you went through from treatment as the two of you ate dinner and held each other tightly with a new and added sense of understanding to each other and being brought even closer due to your experiences with the curse of cancer.

[ask-head-of-oncology]

OC Introduction Post!!!

Dr. Francesca Scott

Head of Oncology at PPTH (after Wilson leaves in S8)

Birthday February 15, 1976, 36 years old

Cisgender, currently questioning her sexuality, she/they

6 foot, 4 inches tall

Hazel eyes

Mid-shoulder length, thick, curly black hair

Vascular birthmark on the right side of her body, has a few patches on their face, neck, torso, arms, and legs, with the majority of the birthmark concentrated on her hands and feet

Jewish

Distantly related to Cuddy, Francesca's mother is Cuddy's cousin

Backstory

Francesca is an only child. She grew up with a lot of pressure put on her by her parents to succeed academically. Because of this pressure put on her her entire childhood, Francesca feels that if she is not succeeding at everything in life, she is failing the people that she loves.

Francesca was diagnosed with a brain tumor at six. The tumor was at an inoperable size, so she underwent chemo to try and shrink the tumor. After her chemo plan ended, the tumor was still at an inoperable size. The doctors estimated that she only had a year left to live. One of her doctors convinced her parents to try chemo for just a bit longer, and after this it was discovered that the tumor had miraculously shrunk to an operable size. The doctors were able to remove the tumor, and after more chemo and radiation therapy, she was declared cancer-free. Francesca has now been in remission for 30 years. It was because of this experience that Francesca decided to become a pediatric oncologist.

They have officially been nicknamed "Wilson" at the hospital because they share many of Wilson's little mannerisms, and because they have also been married three times. Her first husband was abusive, and she divorced him after he hit her for the first time. Her second husband was the love of her life, but he died in the same car crash where Haven (he's my other OC who she's in a QPR with) lost his leg. Her third husband didn't want kids, and Francesca divorced him when she discovered that he had been cheating on him.

She was diagnosed with depression after her second husband died and Haven lost her leg in the car crash. They had depression before this point, but the crash pushed it past the point where she was normally able to deal with it. However, she often forgets to take her antidepressants due to the chaotic nature of her job.

Francesca wants to be a mother more than anything. However, she has had a variety of problems with trying to adopt and foster, and she is unable to conceive herself due to infertility caused by her chemo as a child.

Worked as the Head of Pediatric Oncology at another hospital for about three years before coming to work at PPTH.

Profile picture!

[izstevns]

tilt— her head bends, slight, curious, mouth twitching at the corners like a secret threatening to escape. pale blue scrubs folded and creased like forgotten paper cranes, inked in blood or bile or both— evidence of someone else's insides now etched into her own. one corner of the hem caught, tucked, nervous. a garment made fidgetable by guilt, or boredom, or something she hasn’t diagnosed yet. “        connect, huh?        ” she says it like tasting the rind of a fruit she doesn’t quite trust— bitter, unexpected, but not entirely unpleasant. not mocking. amused. like maybe she’s forgotten how not to be. “        that sounds very emotionally evolved for a guy who spends forty-five percent of his time        ” — yes, she’s counted — “        pretending he’s not lost.        ” a step forward. barely. surgical precision: not encroaching, just existing louder. proximity, after all, is its own kind of stethoscope. machines lie. bodies don’t. she tucks a curl with a gloved hand— sterile intimacy. the kind that leaves no fingerprints but somehow bruises anyway.

“        clark-from-the-cornfields,        ” she teases, name-sharp, myth-warm. kryptonite in a cadence. “        connection takes eye contact. words. that messy, human communication package of shared space and exchanged air.        ” and him? he broods. he haunts. he orders coffee for ghosts. she smiles then. wide. asymmetrical. that dimple — left side — trust issues visible to the naked eye. “        you could’ve chosen differently.        ” er. psych. pediatrics. anywhere but here. but he didn’t. so maybe — just maybe — she’s the one with the brain tumor ( again ). or maybe this is what survival looks like now. proximity as pathology. she leans. gold-threaded eyes under sterile lights, a celestial autopsy. god help her. her voice drops, loses altitude. flirts with the ground. “        careful, smallville,        ” she hums, syllables buttered in sarcasm and ache. “        people who connect with me usually leave with emotional splinters, a drinking habit, and an encyclopedic knowledge of stevie nicks.        ” she winks. like the sky just blinked. like she didn’t just unhinge the quiet. like she didn’t just name a thing neither of them had the anatomy for. connection. a diagnosis. a dare. a door— open now. / @sm4llville .

[lostfan23]

LOST 2024 AUCTION IS NOW OPEN!

From the website :

Bid Together, Buy Alone! The 2024 Cancer Gets Lost Online Charity Auction is now OPEN! The auction closes on May 18 at 1pm ET, numerically - one at a time! IF an item receives a bid in the final minute it is open, bidding will extended for 2-3 minutes. This will occur up to 3 times before a final bid is declared the winner. *PLEASE read all registration instructions and global shipping restrictions below BEFORE registering. Thank you!*

This auction features rare and signed LOST items, in honor of the 20-year anniversary of the show’s 2004 debut! All auction items have been kindly donated by LOST fans, cast/crew, and creatives. We are also including items adjacent to LOST; rare collectibles from Bad Robot and various shows/projects that the LOST cast have since worked on! 100% of all proceeds from this CGL auction will be donated to the children’s brain cancer charity Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, the largest patient advocacy funder of pediatric brain tumor research. We selected the PBTF because tragically, pediatric brain cancer is the most commonly diagnosed and deadliest childhood cancer in the United States. The money raised in this auction will make an actual difference in the lives of children with brain cancer (and their families), from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. Registration for the Cancer Gets Lost 2024 Online Charity Auction is open, and you may register any time from now until the final hours of the auction.

IF you live outside of the United States, your auction registration will be set as “Pending” until we have the chance to discuss the very high shipping & customs costs with you. Please scroll down to read the international shipping rules and restrictions before attempting to register for our auction, and then contact us (CGLauctions at gmail dot com). **IMPORTANT: Please register to bid using an email account that you actually check and use! It has become a challenging issue for us after charity auctions when we are unable to contact a few winning bidders because they never actually check the email they registered with!

READ THE FULL INSTRUCTIONS HERE.

[punderfullll]

Forgot to post this on here last week but I'm doing my annual 9 hour long charity stream today!! This year we will be raising for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation! With Prizes Sponsored by TouhouFest and SIgyaad! **No purchase needed for prizes you just need to be in chat to manually enter each giveaway** I'll be doing my first ever Fog Gate Randomizer! I was looking forward to checking out this mod for a while!! 12PM EST to 9 PM EST!! I'll be live today on twitch.tv/punderfullll Art by @_MoguMan_ (twitter) Donations will be directly collected through Tiltify

[axonspecialityhospital]

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