]> Subscribe to the latest research about Brain Tumors as soon as it is published in <em>Neurology</em>^&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. <em>Neurology</em> is the world's most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal. http://www.aan.com/rss/?event=feed&channel=18 en ababb@aan.com kwiersma@aan.com Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:32:25 GMT Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:54:15 GMT AXON RSS Extension http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss ababb@aan.com Channel Feedback http://www.aan.com/rss/?event=feed&channel=18 http://www.aan.com/rss/images/channels/channel_18_s.jpg 144 144 Subscribe to the latest research about Brain Tumors as soon as it is published in <em>Neurology</em>^&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. <em>Neurology</em> is the world's most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal. false 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_103.pdf EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 Media Contacts: Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Family History of Brain Tumors Linked to Increased Risk of Brain Cancer ST. PAUL, Minn. - People with a family history of cancerous brain tumors appear to be at higher risk of developing the same kind of tumors compared to people with no such family history, according to a study published in the September 23, 2008, issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. For the study, researchers looked at the medical records of 1,401 people from Utah with primary brain tumors. Family medical history information was available for at least three generations for each participant. The group had at least one of two types of tumors: glioblastomas or astrocytomas. Glioblastomas are a category of astrocytomas that are cancerous and usually fast growing and deadly. Astrocytomas are tumors in the brain or spinal cord of a less aggressive grade than glioblastomas. The study found that people whose immediate relatives suffered from glioblastomas had twice the risk of contracting the same kind of brain cancer. People with immediate relatives who had astrocytomas were nearly four times more likely to develop the same kind of tumor compared to people who did not have immediate relatives with the brain tumor. "Our study suggests that people with a family history of brain tumors should make their doctor aware of this and tell them about any other risk factors they have," said study author Deborah Blumenthal, MD, with the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. "Hopefully studies like these will eventually help us to identify genes that may be responsible for these types of brain tumors," Blumenthal said. Blumenthal says an estimated 20,500 cases of new primary brain tumors were diagnosed in the United States in 2005, half of which were gliomas, or cancerous brain tumors. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Utah Department of Health, the University of Utah and the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington's disease, and dementia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_103.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_94.pdf Media Contacts: Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 AAN Launches New Book Series to Help Patients and Caregivers ST. PAUL, Minn. - Following up on the success of Neurology Now&reg;, the free and award-winning patient and caregiver magazine of the American Academy of Neurology, the Academy has announced plans to launch a new series of books for neurology patients and caregivers in 2009 to be called Neurology Now Books&trade;. The Academy has expanded its publishing division, AAN Press, to publish this new book series. Titles planned to publish in the Neurology Now Books&trade; series include coping with multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, and taste and smell disorders in the first year. A fourth publication is also planned for late next year. "With one in six people now affected by a neurologic disorder, there's tremendous demand for the latest information on how to best meet the needs of this fast-growing population of patients and caregivers. Neurology Now Books&trade; will fulfill this growing demand," said Lisa M. Shulman, MD, Editor of Neurology Now Books&trade;, and a neurologist with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "With the experience the Academy has had in publishing Neurology Now&reg; magazine, it's sought to advance patient care and has developed an appreciation for the needs and concerns of neurology patients and caregivers. Neurology Now Books&trade; will continue to further our mission of improving patient care and public understanding of disorders of the brain and nervous system," said Shulman. Each issue of Neurology Now&reg; magazine reaches nearly one million readers. It is the only consumer magazine in the country devoted to the management of the range of neurologic disorders. The magazine offers information on treatment and cutting-edge research for such neurologic disorders as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, migraine, Parkinson's disease and more. For information on receiving a free subscription to Neurology Now&reg; magazine, visit www.neurologynow.com. AAN Press through Demos Medical Publishing published an earlier series of books for neurology patients and caregivers that will continue to be available for purchase via the AAN Store&trade;. Other AAN Press publications are Neurology&reg;, the most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal, Neurology Now&reg; magazine, and Neurology Today&reg;. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_94.pdf ababb@aan.com Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:04:51 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1845.pdf People with a particular gene variant may be more likely to develop brain tumors, and at an earlier age, than people without the gene, according to a study published in the January 27, 2009, print issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 254 people with brain tumors and 238 people with no cancers. All those with tumors had glioblastoma multiforme, the most common type of brain cancer. People with this type of tumor survive an average of 12 to 15 months. Through blood samples, researchers looked at the tumor suppressor TP53 gene. This gene acts as a tumor suppressor and is involved in preventing cancer. People younger than 45 with brain tumors were more likely to have the Pro/Pro variant of the gene than older people with brain tumors or the healthy participants. A total of 20.6 percent of the young people with brain tumors had the gene variant, compared to 6.4 percent of the older people with brain tumors and 5.9 percent of the healthy participants. "Eventually we may be able to use this knowledge to help identify people who have a higher risk of developing brain tumors at an early age. However the risk of this population remains low, even multiplied by three or four as shown here, because these brain tumors (glioblastomas) are infrequent in young people," said study author Marc Sanson, MD, PhD, of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Paris, France. The study was supported by the Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, narcolepsy, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1845.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1877.pdf A new study shows that people with multiple sclerosis may be at a lower risk for cancer overall, but at a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as brain tumors and bladder cancer. The study is published in the March 31, 2009, print issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers looked at the medical records of 20,000 people with multiple sclerosis and 204,000 people without the diagnosis. After 35 years, they found that the people with MS had a decreased overall risk of cancer by 10 percent compared to people who did not have the disease. The result was more pronounced in women. However, for people with MS the risk for certain cancers, such as brain tumors and bladder and other urinary organ cancers, increased by up to 44 percent compared to people without MS. Scientists also evaluated the parents of people with MS to determine whether there was a possible genetic link. They found that there was no overall increased or decreased risk of cancer among either mothers or fathers of those with MS, compared to parents of people without MS. "We speculate that the lower risk for cancer among people with MS could be a result of lifestyle changes or treatment following diagnosis," said study author Shahram Bahmanyar, MD, PhD, of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. "The increase in brain tumor diagnoses may be due to brain inflammation, but this finding may not reflect a real increase in cancer risk, as there is some evidence that more frequent neurological investigations in these patients mean that brain tumors are more likely to be found sooner. There may also be reasons related to the disease that could increase the risk for urinary organ cancers, resulting from chronic irritation to those organs as a result of MS. However, individual risk of developing urinary organ cancer is modest, as less than 0.2 percent of people with MS developed this cancer for every 10 years of follow-up." Bahmanyar also noted that people with MS have on average a lower body mass index (BMI) than the general population, and BMI is a risk factor for several types of cancer, so the lower body weight may explain some of the reduction in cancer risk. It is also possible that some reduction in cancer risk results from the way the body responds to MS. The study was supported by the Bibbi and Nils Jensens Foundation, the Montel Williams Foundation, the European Union's Sixth Framework Program NeuroproMiSe and the Swedish Association for Persons with Neurological Disabilities. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, narcolepsy, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1877.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:00:00 GMT