Meet the Experts

Dr. Yazmin Odia

Lead Physician of Medical Neurologic Oncology with Miami Cancer Institute

Videos

Brain Cancer: Life Expectancy

Dr. Yazmin Odia, Lead Physician of Medical Neurologic Oncology with Miami Cancer Institute, explains about half of all the brain tumors they treat are benign. If they remove the tumors, they have a 90% chance of being alive and well within five years. About the other half, she says in adults only 5% to 10% of patients are alive five years out from a malignant cancer, and in children, 20% might be alive at five years out.

Types of Brain Tumors

Dr. Yazmin Odia, Lead Physician of Medical Neurologic Oncology with Miami Cancer Institute, explains first or primary brain tumors are those that rise from the brain, the spinal cord and the meninges themselves. She says secondary tumors come from another organ. They are also known as metastatic tumors, and they are the most common ones, and they make up more than half of all brain cancers, meaning they start somewhere else and get into the brain.

Brain Cancer: Life Expectancy

Brain Tumors: Challenges in Treatment

Blood-brain barrier, surgery, tumor diversity, and tumor resistance are some of the challenges in treating brain tumors. Dr. Yazmin Odia, Lead Physician of Medical Neurologic Oncology with Miami Cancer Institute, explains the biggest issue is that the brain is a protected structure. "You can't simply remove large portions of the brain without causing great harm. The challenges arise from the fact that the brain is a specialized structure, and the complexity of the tumors themselves."

Symptoms of Brain Cancer

Headaches, balance problems, seizures, nausea, vomiting, vision or hearing problems, weakness in arm or leg, speech problems, and personality changes are some of the symptoms of brain cancer. Dr. Yazmin Odia, Lead Physician of Medical Neurologic Oncology with Miami Cancer Institute, says for brain cancers stages are not as relevant for primary tumors, but they are aggressive by nature and they can't be cured by surgery. "Unfortunately, brain cancer patients tend to have the worst outcomes."

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