According to a study review published in the Journal of Cancers, three to six out of 100,000 pregnancies had cancer in the brain.
The hero of our story, a mom of three, pregnant with her fourth kid, was devastated when she was diagnosed with advanced brain cancer.
But the odds are that her continued immunotherapy and multiple surgeries healed her, motivating her to name her son Marcus, a sign of gratitude towards her surgeon.
That’s how a life was saved, and a name lives forever! (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Being Diagnosed: My Stage 4 Journey
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Why Did She Name Her Baby ‘Marcus’?
A mother of three, Jerrey Britner, 22 weeks pregnant with her third kid, had constant headaches, nausea, and balance issues. However, she brushed it off, thinking it was a sign of pregnancy.
However, her pregnancy nausea and other symptoms only worsened; that’s when she decided to go to the ER. There, she underwent an MRI only to find out she had a huge mass of brain cancer. Further testing confirmed a melanoma skin cancer had spread all the way to her brain.
So her treating doctor suggested she undergo an early cesarean section to remove the baby for safety, and they would undergo surgery to remove the cancer and immunotherapy to fight the cancer cells.
When Jenney Bitner thought she would not witness her kids growing and was devastated, these treatments helped her get back on her feet, cancer-free, and live her life surrounded by her kids. Her son was born at 34 weeks, and to honor her surgeon who saved her life, she named her newborn “Marcus”
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Is Brain Cancer in Pregnancy Possible?
Brain cancer in pregnancy occurs rarely but is not usually found through methods, as most people brush off the symptoms, as they mimic pregnancy signs like nausea, headaches, and vomiting.
However, during pregnancy, people are subjected to hormonal and physical changes, which trigger the hormone-sensitive cancer cells to grow and multiply, thus resulting in a brain tumor (2✔ ✔Trusted Source
Brain Tumors in Pregnancy: A Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Management, and Ethical Dilemmas
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How Can One Cure Brain Cancer?
If the cancer is diagnosed in the early stages, medications and surgery can be performed to treat brain cancer while keeping the growing fetus safe. If the cancer is found in advanced stages, early delivery will be planned, and further treatment like chemo and immunotherapy will be planned.
When a surgery saves two lives, gratitude can be a lifelong legacy!
Some heroes earn a place on the birth certificate.
Nevertheless, new moms should never ignore any symptoms like headaches or nausea if they continue to trouble them and get them checked on time. Though Jenney Britner knew about her cancer in later stages, she got lucky with Dr Marcus by her side.
References:
- Being Diagnosed: My Stage 4 Journey – (https://elephantsandtea.org/survivorship/being-diagnosed-my-stage-4-journey/)
- Brain Tumors in Pregnancy: A Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Management, and Ethical Dilemmas – (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12691035/)
Source-Medindia