Brain Cancer Podcast

Hello! This is a quick one but I wanted to make an episode for hitting and surpassing the seven year mark on this brain cancer journey we've been on. Of course there are ups and downs with good and bad days. However, we are still going! It was such a hectic and tiring summer but I feel like I'm back on track and just about to start on a new trial drug so we will see how it goes. Of course, I'll be sharing it with you all as well. Your support has meant so much to me and I just want to keep sharing with you all. Thank you for everything. Here's to another seven years! Chris

Hello! I wanted to create this episode for Glioblastoma Awareness Day 2023 to add to the various articles and stories you hear from GBM patients. Whether as a patient or a caregiver, this disease is horrible. We've lost some true greats to this disease. And I don't necessarily mean "famous" people although we have lost them as well. Parents, siblings, family members, best friends... I know that better treatments are out there and researchers are hard at work looking for answers. I just want to say thank you to everyone for all of the support I've gotten. Truly the best people in the world. Here are some of the links I had mentioned as well! The durvalumab trial I was on (Cohort A): https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02336165 ABTA links: https://www.abta.org/national-conference/ https://give.abta.org/event/webinar-what-to-know-when-youre-newly-diagnosed-with-glioblastoma/e456254 https://www.abta.org/brochures/

Hello! Sorry for the gap in episodes but it's been a hectic few weeks with work, spring garden prep and planting, taking my photo walks, and general hospital visits and treatments that have kept me behind on so much. But, this is one I was really excited to record and I've already set aside time to record our next episode which is very relevant to this month. It only took a few years but I'm finally more comfortable in post editing with getting my volume set to the standard of LUFS and hopefully the earlier episodes didn't have you changing the volume a lot! LOL, I get there eventually. I hope you enjoy this one and that it can be helpful to you as a patient or caregiver! Chris

Well hello and thank you for listening today! It's been two years since my second craniotomy for a small recurrence of my brain tumor. I cannot believe that it's been two years already! I just wanted to share how I felt back then and how I'm feeling today while still going through my own treatments. I have to apologize for not getting everything I wanted to get done for Brain Tumor Awareness Month. Like I mention in the episode, I just don't have enough hours in the day after work and getting everything cleaned up and planted outside. I also have to manage with the fatigue as well.

Hello! This is just a short episode talking about Brain Tumor Awareness Month here in May 2023. I just started talking and just went with what I was feeling. Not exactly a structured episode but sometimes I like to just talk. And thank you for letting me talk. This is a show for all of us and it really acts as a bit of therapy for myself as well. Some days ARE difficult. But I am so lucky that I've got an outlet like this. I got some not-so-great news recently as we've lost another good soul far too soon. It's this awful situation where we meet under such unfortunate terms but I don't take any days or anything for granted. I know one day we will be able to beat this disease. Thank you all so much. Please never hesitate to reach out to me if you need anything. Chris

Hello! I am so sorry for the delay between episodes! I also did not realize I already did an episode about MRIs but I'm not going to waste a recording I made. Maybe it can help someone and that's all I want. It's been a very hectic few months and I'll be doing an update. Don't worry, I am still going and our journey continues! I was also at work a bit more, spring cleanup outside, starting seeds for the garden, and we just had the Boston Marathon and had a great time as a spectator! Even with some rain near the end, I am always excited for seeing these athletes run. I've got a few great ideas for episodes and we're going to have a great summer! Chris Links: https://radiology.ucsf.edu/patient-care/prepare/mri#- https://radiologykey.com/imaging-of-brain-tumors-mr-spectroscopy-and-metabolic-imaging/ https://moffitt.org/cancers/brain-tumor/diagnosis/mri/ https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/imaging-center/med-pros/neuroradiology/mr-spectroscopy.html https://4rai.com/blog/3-types-of-mri-machines https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri

Hello! I'm sorry for the delay and I'm getting caught up on things. Normally, I should have more time but I've been busy with so many things and I wanted to record. This is just a short personal update and I also felt like I wanted to talk about some of the things we as brain cancer patients and caregivers hear both online and in real life. I want to thank you all so much for supporting me over these years and being so kind to me. I always have so many potential topics going through my head but please let me know if there's something you want to hear about. This is our show! Chris

Hello and welcome! In this episode, we go over the latest step in my current treatment and discuss what lomustine is, potential side effects, and a story of how much control some companies have over our treatments. I'm sorry for the slight delay in releasing this episode. I've been working, going to appointments, and my voice has been pretty rough the past week or so. That makes recording just not something I could have done. I also normalized the audio to the industry standard because I'm still learning things here! I hope it sounds ok and that the volume is balanced from start to finish with nothing being too loud or quiet. Please let me know if there are any issues. Thank you all so much for your support and being the greatest group of people. I practice gratitude every day and it helps me so much. Links from the show: https://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/Lomustine.aspx https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/alkylating-agent https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/alkylating-agents.html https://cancerletter.com/trials-and-tribulations/20210716_7/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-cancer-drug-gleostine-no-longer-an-option-under-medicare/ https://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/fulltext/2021/09160/a_glioblastoma_drug_is_abruptly_withdrawn_from.6.aspx

Hello and happy holidays!! As we head into 2023, I wanted to do a little recap of 2022 and talk about some plans for the next year. I'm really excited to see what we have in store next year. Thank you all so much for all of your support during these 6 years! I am so thankful to have you all in my life. Make sure you give the show a follow on your podcast app of choice and if you enjoy the show, write a review so that others can find it! Chris

Hello! I figured that a new year would be a good time to update our trailer since I made the original one quite some time ago. It's just a 1 minute trailer and I tried to fit what the show is and the purpose all within a minute. I wanted to keep it in that general range so that more people can hear a quick trailer and tune in. Be sure to share it and thank you all! 2023 is almost here and we've got a lot more to talk about! Chris

Hello! This is the 3rd year of our Thanksgiving episode series. I have a feeling we will have a few more years of these :) I also give a quick update as to how I'm feeling after radiation. This is being uploaded a couple days after Thanksgiving but it was a hectic few days. I'll be sure to do at least some posts on the Facebook page at Facebook.com/Braincancerpodcast Feel free to leave a review/comment if you'd like! I just have so much in my life to be thankful for and I hope you enjoy! Chris

Hello! Thank you for stopping by for a quick update on how this short, ten day radiation therapy has been going. It is highly targeted and I always want to share how I am doing as well. I will definitely be doing an update after day 10 and throughout the coming months I'll let you all know how I'm doing. I'm still working on mic placement and how far away to talk with this mic but once I get that and the post production settled, the quality should hopefully improve. Thank you all so much for your support and never hesitate to reach out! Chris

Hello! Lots going on and I wanted to give you all an update on how I have been. It's been a very hectic few weeks and I wanted to give you all a bit of a recap on things. I've actually already recorded another short update after finishing this one so stay tuned for the next one! Thank you all so much! I decided to get one more upgrade for our show and I'm working on how to get it sounding how I want it to both during recording and in post. I love doing this and over the past couple of years I've saved up for some small upgrades to improve our show. I think getting a mic booster however many months ago was quite an improvement! I'm excited for what is next on our journey! Chris

Hello! I have officially hit 6 years since I was diagnosed with glioblastoma in September of 2016. It's a bit of a time of reflection for me. How far I have come and the people I have encountered along the way. I just wanted to say thank you. I cannot put into words how much you have changed my life. I could not ask for better people! Chris

Hello! I just wanted to sit down and have a chat about dexamethasone. This is one of the episodes I had been wanting to make for a while. Many of us will experience this drug at some point. It's important to understand its side effects and how it can work against the very idea of immunotherapy. Many of us in the community have felt those side effects and it's important to be informed. I've included some links below as well for your own research. Thank you all for your support. I appreciate all of you so much! Chris Links: Immunotherapy episode https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-d9d8j-111c5bb https://www.drugs.com/dexamethasone.html https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/glucocorticoids.html https://www.ulh.nhs.uk/services/cancer-services/cancer-services-information/taking-dexamethasone-when-you-have-a-brain-tumour/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31346902/ https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/brain-cancer-immunotherapy-steroids-limit-effectiveness

Hello! This is our episode where we look back on just a few of the many brain cancer studies and articles over the month of July, 2022. I really enjoy doing these and it's a good way to see how many new therapies are being pursued around the world! Thank you all so much for listening and please follow the page and Facebook at Facebook.com/braincancerpodcast Also, make sure you subscribe! You are all amazing! Chris As usual, links are provided down below and I will link the times if you wanted to note a specific part of the episode. Links: Detecting Brain Cancer 2:30 https://hms.harvard.edu/news/detecting-brain-cancer Brain Cancer Therapy in Pediatric Trial 8:35 https://www.genengnews.com/topics/cancer/brain-cancer-therapy-shows-promise-in-pediatric-clinical-trial/ A New Path 13:20 https://news.yale.edu/2022/07/28/new-path-treating-brain-cancer-yale-developed-compound Knoxville boy and Batman 18:25 https://www.wate.com/news/smile-check/we-came-home-and-contacted-batman-says-mother-of-knoxville-boy-fighting-brain-cancer/

Hello! Across the United States, July 20th is recognized as national glioblastoma awareness day and I wanted to release a short episode talking about some of my feelings and how much all of YOU mean to me. But honestly, all brain tumors are dangerous. GBM is certainly not the only very aggressive tumor type. While it's not the longest episode, I wanted it to be a short listen and show how thankful I am. For so many things. I've made some great friends and met the most amazing people as a result of our diagnoses.

Hello! Thank you for tuning in to our monthly news recap! I read some very interesting articles this month with a focus on both DIPG and GBM as they are both diffuse, difficult-to-treat tumors. I didn't realize that this episode went longer than usual and I considered cutting an article out but I've included time stamps down below with a link to each article. I'll also add a longer transition time between segments! I'll do better on that next time! Up next: GBM Awareness Day 2022! Thank you all so much and I love all of you and the support you've given me! Chris Links and time stamps: 1:04 https://www.channel3000.com/i/harnessing-a-virus-to-fight-a-killer-brain-tumor-in-kids/ 7:40 https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2022/06/28/discovery-points-to-better-treatments-for-brain-tumors/ 12:39 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-06-light-activated-photoimmunotherapy-brain-cancer-treatment.html 18:07 https://www.targetedonc.com/view/fda-grants-rpdd-to-paxalisib-for-rare-pediatric-brain-cancer 23:12 https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/woman-who-lost-her-sight-through-brain-cancer-prepares-for-sunderland-triathlon/ar-AAYUh3e?fromMaestro=true&pfr=1

Hello! Thank you all for tuning in! I'm sorry this episode took me a little longer to edit because it was a very hectic few weeks! I just wanted to talk about some of the things you may have to complete before a craniotomy as well as what it is like when you wake up and how the following few weeks are after you get home! I've got a couple links at the bottom here as well. You should get a sheet of paper that will break down what you can and cannot do after going home. In addition, you'll be given instructions to follow regarding your medications. I just hung mine on the refrigerator so it wouldn't get lost. These are just my experiences and general guidelines as your team will give you instructions for your specific situation. Once again, sorry for the delay and I've already got the topic for our next episode! You're all amazing! Chris Links https://www.healthpages.org/surgical-care/craniotomy/ https://hartfordhospital.org/services/neuroscience-institute/patient-support/discharge-instructions/after-brain-surgery

Hello!!! Thank you all so much for tuning in! It's that time where we look back at a few of the new studies and stories of the past month. I've got some good ideas for some upcoming episodes as well. Please feel free to reach out for any reason and make suggestions or provide feedback. I really enjoy doing these and you all are the reason I love doing this. I love you all. Chris Links! https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-05-chemoid-trial-survival-glioma-patients.html https://bobrtimes.com/a-brain-tumor-cell-magnet/146482/ https://www.today.com/health/health/100-brain-tumors-led-investigation-nj-high-school-mayor-shares-results-rcna30902 https://nypost.com/2022/05/18/ex-phillies-brain-cancer-deaths-need-study-dr-marc-siegel/ https://www.foxnews.com/media/cancer-deaths-former-phillies-players-investigated-siegel https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/man-remarries-wife-brain-tumour-cause-behaviour-change-family-break-1901116