What is oligodendroglioma? Busy Philipps’ brain tumor explained…
Busy Philipps is “grateful to be alive” after a surprising health scare.
The 47-year-old actress revealed this week that medical doctors found a uncommon, slow-growing malignant tumor in her brain earlier this yr, despite her having no apparent symptoms.
Philipps opened up about the ordeal in a People cowl story revealed Wednesday, saying she underwent two surgical procedures as a result of her grade 2 oligodendroglioma.
Busy Philipps was identified with a uncommon, slow-growing malignant brain tumor earlier this yr. (Variety) Variety by way of Getty Images
The “Dawson’s Creek” alum called the past six months the “weirdest” of her life, dubbing herself “the luckiest girl in the world” after following by means of with a full-body MRI scan her main doctor had initially talked her out of.
She finally determined to schedule the scan after talking along with her cousin-in-law, Dr. Justin Donlan, an internist who told her that “knowledge is power.”
Doctors noticed the tumor during a Prenuvo scan on Feb. 12, just in the future after her former co-star James Van Der Beek died of colorectal cancer at age 48. The star had truly been contemplating canceling her appointment when her husband recommended the health test is likely to be “the best thing” she might do for her late buddy.
So, what precisely is an oligodendroglioma — and what delicate symptoms can sign the disease? Here’s what to know.
What are oligodendrogliomas?
An oligodendroglioma is a uncommon kind of brain tumor that can also develop in the spinal twine. It begins in oligodendrocytes, cells that assist assist and defend the nerve cells answerable for sending messages throughout the brain and nervous system, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Philipps was identified with a grade 2 oligodendroglioma, which is thought of a “low-grade” tumor by the World Health Organization. That means it sometimes grows slowly and is usually simpler to deal with than more aggressive brain tumors.
“It is considered malignant, but it has the best prognosis of all of the malignant gliomas,” Dr. Alexandra Miller, Philipps’ neuro-oncologist at NYU Langone, told People.
“It’s sort of defined as a cancerous tumor based on the ability of the tumor to regrow over time, rather than it looking very malignant under the microscope.”
Higher-grade oligodendrogliomas are more aggressive. As they change into more superior, the tumors can develop quicker, injury surrounding brain tissue and change into more tough to deal with.
An oligodendroglioma, a uncommon malignant brain tumor that Philipps was identified with despite having no symptoms. (Stanford Medicine) Stanford Medicine
How frequent is oligodendrogliomas?
Oligodendrogliomas are comparatively uncommon, accounting for an estimated 1.3% of all brain tumors in the US. About 1,100 Americans are identified with the tumor each yr, according to the American Brain Tumor Association.
They are most often identified in adults between the ages of 20 and 40. The tumors are thought of extraordinarily uncommon in youngsters under 15.
What are the symptoms of oligodendrogliomas?
Oligodendrogliomas could cause different symptoms relying on the place the tumor is situated and the way big it grows. The most frequent warning signal is a seizure, which impacts practically 80% of sufferers, according to Columbia University.
When a tumor develops in the frontal lobe, it might probably set off persona or habits adjustments, in addition to weak point or partial paralysis on one aspect of the physique, often known as hemiparesis.
Other symptoms can embody complications, partial imaginative and prescient loss and hassle with speech or language. Tumors in the temporal lobe, however, might be particularly sneaky, sometimes inflicting few noticeable symptoms and going undetected for years.
Philipps said medical doctors caught her tumor before she developed any apparent symptoms. Still, in the years before her diagnosis, she had told her former “Dawson’s Creek” co-star and shut buddy Michelle Williams that she felt like her brain was “broken.”
“I’ve been saying this for the last few years,” Philipps told People. “I wasn’t consciously aware that anything was really wrong, but there was something that was misfiring. Like, I could not get a handle on it.”
Philipps underwent surgical procedure to take away the tumor in March. busyphilipps/Instagram
How are oligodendrogliomas handled?
Oligodendrogliomas are thought of certainly one of the more treatable varieties of brain cancer.
Surgery is often the first line of assault, with medical doctors aiming to take away as a lot of the tumor as attainable without damaging healthy brain tissue. Depending on the outcomes, sufferers could also want radiation or chemotherapy.
For Philipps, that meant a roughly five-hour surgical procedure on March 2 to take away the 2.6-centimeter mass from her brain. Doctors recognized it as an oligodendroglioma after biopsying the tumor.
Her medical doctors told her that ready until she developed seizures might have allowed the tumor to develop to 2 or 3 times its measurement — doubtlessly making it more tough to take away fully.
Philipps initially made it by means of the operation without incident, however later developed a staphylococcus infection in her incision. She wanted a second surgical procedure to scrub out the contaminated space and take away certainly one of the tiny titanium tacks medical doctors had used to carry her cranium bone in place.
Are oligodendrogliomas lethal?
Many sufferers have a superb likelihood of residing for years after diagnosis.
The outlook is sometimes better when the tumor is caught early. Between 69% and 90% of people with low-grade oligodendrogliomas are still alive 5 years after diagnosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic, with survival charges doubtlessly even greater among youthful adults.
For people with high-grade oligodendrogliomas, the five-year survival fee ranges from 45% to 76%.
Philipps told People she feels grateful for going by means of with the Prenuvo scan that caught her tumor, saying she hopes she will inspire other people to hearken to their intestine.
“We are frequently told by doctors that there is nothing to worry about [when] you kind of know that there’s something to worry about,” she said. “There’s nothing to be afraid of in having information. It’s only empowering.”
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