Southeasterners Don't Know Symptoms of Brain Cancer
Written on %10/%10/%2013 in Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, Patient Education, Research.

South Miami, Florida, October 10, 2013 - - A majority of Southeasterners in the U.S. don't know the symptoms of brain cancer. The findings in a new survey commissioned by the Miami Neuroscience Center (MNC) also revealed misinformation is another significant problem. Conducted by Toluna Global Research, the MNC survey randomly sampled a cross section of men and women over the age of 25 in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

While many people are aware of brain tumors, a surprising number are not educated about the symptoms of brain cancer or what treatment options are available when brain cancer is diagnosed. More than 54% of the general population and 63% of Hispanics responding to "The Brain Tumor I.Q. Test" survey mistakenly believe headaches are the leading symptom of brain tumors. When it comes to seeking treatment, the survey found that Southeasterners lack the information they need. A staggering 74% of general population respondents and 73% of Hispanic respondents had no idea that there were non-invasive medical procedures available for removing or treating brain tumors.

Dr. Azik Wolf is Medical Director of the Miami Neuroscience Center and one of the world's leading authorities on radiosurgery and the Gamma Knife, a technologically innovative, non-invasive treatment for brain, head, and neck cancers. Dr. Wolf called the survey results alarming. "The medical community should be concerned about these troubling findings. It tells us that there is more work to be done. We have to rethink how we are educating the public about brain cancer and what steps we are going to take to be sure people have the information they need to make informed decisions when evaluating their treatment options."

Dr. Wolf said the new findings have prompted Miami Neuroscience Center to develop a new, free resource. "Lives are at stake. We can't sit back and wait for somebody to address this problem. As leading health providers, we believe finding ways to improve how we communicate health information is up to each of us and that's why we're offering a free, downloadable information resource." Coinciding with the observance of national Health Literacy Awareness Month, the new pdf, What You Should Know About Brain Tumors and Cancer, is available at www.miamineurosciencecenter.com. The easy-to-understand publication is available in both English and Spanish.

The Miami Neuroscience Center is a state-of-the-art facility housing one of the nation's premier Gamma Knife® surgery programs. Not an actual knife, the Gamma Knife is considered the gold standard in radiosurgery. It is a sophisticated non-invasive system that delivers high-dose radiation to the target treatment site without damaging surrounding tissue. Its extreme precision makes it the most effective system for controlling tumors in the brain, head and neck.

Internationally recognized for its groundbreaking work in radiosurgery, the Miami Neuroscience Center utilizes the Gamma Knife Perfexion, the only neurosurgical tool specifically designed for noninvasive brain, neck, and cervical spine radiosurgery. Led by Dr. Wolf, the Miami Neuroscience Center team has been working together for more than 20 years, achieving national and international acclaim for its development of groundbreaking advancements in radiosurgery.