Ted Kennedy Dies
Ted Kennedy Dies of a Brain Tumor
AP
By Katherine Tweed
Senator Edward M. Kennedy died August 26, 2009 at the age of 77, after battling a brain tumor that was diagnosed after a seizure in May 2008.
The longtime fixture on Capitol Hill had a malignant glioma, a class of brain tumors mostly found in older adults. Kennedy -- always aggressive about pushing for what he thought was right on the Senate floor -- was no different when it came to his own health. As soon as he learned of his disease, he gathered a team of experts and decided to undergo surgery at Duke University Medical Center, followed up by radiation and chemotherapy in his home state of Massachusetts.
There is a less than one percent chance that someone will develop a malignant brain or spinal cord tumor in his or her lifetime. That translates into more than 9,000 diagnosed malignant brain tumors in the U.S. Half of those patients will not survive 15 months.
Although Kennedy’s cancer struck late in life, he was no stranger to living with cancer. His son, Edward Jr., lost a leg to bone cancer in the 1970s and daughter Kara battled lung cancer in 2003.
Unlike many other cancers, brain tumors do not have known risk factors, such as smoking for lung cancer. “In spite of all this research for the past 30 years, nothing has really panned out, showing one thing or the other increases your risk for developing a glioblastoma,” says E. Antonio Chiocca, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the department of neurosurgery at Ohio State University Medical Center.
Kennedy was hailed for his work against tobacco, working on passing many bills that limited the reach of cigarette companies. “Senator Kennedy was among the first to tackle the devastating effect tobacco use had on our nation and spearheaded many bills that have since saved millions of lives that would have been lost to tobacco related illness,” Charles D. Connor, president of the American Lung Association, says in a statement.
The symptoms for brain tumors can be equally vague in the early stages, including headache, nausea or vomiting. The first sign for about half of patients is a seizure, as it was for Kennedy. Symptoms are often dependent on where the tumor sits on the brain. In Kennedy’s case it was in the left parietal lobe, a part of the brain that involves sensation and perception, including language, although it’s not known if he was having problem speaking or understanding words.
Without symptoms, brain tumors can be tough to catch. There is no blood test. “The only way you catch it is through imaging. Some areas of the brain are very silent,” says Chiocca. “In other areas, just a small tumor can cause a major problem.” Even with early detection, Chiocca notes that there is no data to show whether brain tumor patients such as Kennedy would have a better chance at survival.
But there have been some advances. The cancer occurs in the glial cells, which support neurons. There have been breakthroughs in understanding the genetics of the tumors, and how the signaling goes awry within the tumors. “This has allowed us to develop new therapies that have a lot of promise,” says Chiocca. “I think there’s a lot of hope we’re going to beat this awful cancer.”
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Emcoloney 08:08:09 PM Sep 02 2009
I've heard some refer to Teddy's death as a TRAGEDY. It was no tragedy - it was predictable. We ALL die eventually. What was a tragedy is that he apparently never new the Lord. If he had, he would've flushed his liberal ways knowing how much the Lord hates liberalism. Just think. No liberals in heaven because liberals are not believers. Where do YOU stand?
Tdu1vme 07:27:18 AM Aug 31 2009
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Tdu1vme 07:23:45 AM Aug 31 2009
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Tdu1vme 07:13:57 AM Aug 31 2009
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ParthDee 07:56:05 PM Aug 28 2009
Having had someone very close to me die from a glioblastoma, I feel such compassion for Senator Kennedy, his battle, and those who loved him most. As this article says, such cancers give no warning and a grand mal seizure is usually the first clue. After that, you're basically given an 18 month (max) prognosis. So you're normal one minute, the next you find yourself surrounded by doctors talking neuro-surgical gibberish and hearing, "poor prognosis" above all else. I am not only sad for the loss to our nation in this great man, but my heart goes out to what all he and his family had to contend with as this disease progressed. So, for all you self-righteous hate-mongers who express joy in this death, make certain your own karma is aligned such that you or someone you love never endures the gut-wrenching heartache of a malignant brain tumor.
Jatboy699 04:34:27 PM Aug 27 2009
JATBOY699Ted you was the best thing that we had you stood for what was right for the American Citizen you will be missed just like your brother John.F.Kenndy who was the best President we had rest in peace now you are one of the angels looking down on us thank you for all of the work you done for us.
Jatboy699 04:25:18 PM Aug 27 2009
jatboy699 Ted you was the best thing that American can look up to and your brother was one of the best President we had who was John .F.Kenndy.One thing Americans can say you stood for us all the way thank you Ted rest in peace
LNolan47 03:57:57 PM Aug 27 2009
As one whi battling lung cancer and is losing his health insurance due to a pre exisiting condition, I will miss the man who has lead the chatge against the insurance companies for killing people like me
BonniesOffice 08:09:23 AM Aug 27 2009
I wish I coudl say I will miss him but I won't.. Mary Jo had about 40 years less on earth than he did. Didn't phase him. How? How can one keep putting their face before the public and her family after such an act? Only a Kennedy who beleives they are above it all. God , have mercy on his soul.
