Ask the Doctor

Recovery from Brain Cancer

I am female who was diagnosed with brain cancer (Gliobastoma Multiforme right temporal lobe)in 1995. I underwent a craniotomy, chemotherapy, and experienced 'more than usual' radiation to the area of my temporal lobe. How can I improve memory, concentration logic reading and cognitive skills?
--N. from California

It appears that you have done well in your recovery and would benefit from some specific cognitive rehabilitation to focus on the issues which confront you. Have you had a neuropsychological evaluation to identify the specific problem areas as well as the areas of strength.? This type of evaluation would be helpful in determining the type of cognitive rehabilitation which will help you remediate the problem areas. Usually, cognitive rehabilitation occurs through Occupational or Speech Therapy or with specially trained educators. For some people, computer based cognitive retraining is very helpful.

Are you currently involved with your local Brain Injury Association in BC? The association usually can help you find a neuropsychologist who specializes in brain injury as well as identify programs and specialists in your community. The Ontario Brain Injury Association maintains an excellent web site with resources. The internet has many other brain injury resources which will be of assistance to you. You might to try biausa.org, the U.S. brain injury association, and look at the resource materials they offer.

I encourage you to continue your efforts to find help to address your cognitive problems. It sounds like you are motivated to achieve success which is critical. Please let us know if we can be of further help.

Sincerely,


Rolf B. Gainer, Ph.D., Diplomate, ABDA

My 26 year-old daughter was in a car accident two years ago and was in a coma for three weeks. She has never received substantial treatment for her brain injury since then. I've heard that after two years, people with head injuries don't get better, and I am worried that time is running out for my daughter. What can I do to help her?
--K. H., Toledo, OH

I have good news for you. While many family members and brain injury survivors are told that the recovery "plateaus" after two years, it simply isn't true. It's a myth that is constantly being debunked by real people all over the world. The latest research and data from sources like the National Institutes of Health Consensus Report on Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury indicate that recovery and progress continues throughout an individual's lifetime.

Today, more and more medical professionals are developing life-long recovery plans for their TBI patients. Fortunately, the legal system is also using the evidence to champion for longer treatment options for TBI survivors. Since good information drives policy, it is imperative that we all continue to support good research and that we act as aggressive advocates for our family members, friends and patients with TBI. We must continue to educate physicians and health providers, who will in turn inform insurance companies and advise state-funded programs.

Many of our own patients at NRI come to us several years post-injury. While such a delay in treatment can create some obstacles, they still have a significant clinical response to treatment. The road to recovery isn't always easy, but once a TBI survivors gets in the right program, she or he experiences a dramatic change across many areas of life.

You may be interested in our current findings which reflect increased independence, improved social role function, and other gains that occur in the years post injury. Please refer to the following presentations to learn more about post-injury concerns:

• What Happens When Rehabilitation Ends? Social Role Issues Ten Years Later (0.9 Mb)
• Living in the Community Following a Traumatic Brain Injury (0.2 Mb)

I encourage you to continue seeking treatment for your daughter. It isn't too late, but time is still an important factor. The sooner your daughter gets into a specialized treatment program, the sooner you'll begin to see results, and that's going to make a big difference for everyone involved in her care.

Dr. Rolf Gainer, PhD, Diplomate, ABDA is the Chief Executive Office at the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute at Brookhaven Hospital and the Vice President of Rehabilitation Institutes of America. He is the founder of the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario (Canada). Dr. Gainer is a psychologist who has been involved in the design and operation of treatment programs since 1977. He has published numerous articles on mental health and rehabilitation topics and has presented at many international conferences. He remains active in outcome research.