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May 20th, 2008

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy Diagnosed with Cancerous Brain Tumor

Health News posted 2 years ago by The Healia Team

United States Senator Edward M. Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor today. The tumor was discovered by doctors after the 76-year old senator was hospitalized Saturday upon having a seizure at his home in Massachusetts. Sen. Kennedy has malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe, a region of the brain that helps govern sensation, movement, and language.

According to the National Cancer Institute, malignant glioma is the most common primary brain tumor type, accounting for more than half of the 18,000 primary malignant brain tumors diagnosed each year in the United States. In addition to sensation, movement, and language, the parietal lobes are also responsible for interpreting signals from parts of the brain that focus on vision, hearing, motor skills, sensory input and memory. Some experts believe Sen. Kennedy’s survival rate to be less than three years.

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