The devastating news hits thousands of North Americans each year. A brain tumour. A loved one. In a single year, primary and metastatic brain tumours will kill 15,000 of our friends, relatives and neighbours. Children are not spared.
Brain tumours are the second leading cause of cancer deaths in children.
As our population ages, the incidence of brain tumours is increasing quickly among the elderly. Medical researchers have long asked these fundamental questions. Today they have hopes of finding answers. I foresee very exciting times. Brain tumour research has to a large extent been neglected, and this is a wonderful opportunity to combine the latest advances in basic neuroscience with astute clinical observations.