Screening for brain tumours should be routine for under 50s, says neurosurgeon
A leading Irish neurosurgeon has called for routine brain tumor screening for individuals under 50 to improve early detection and survival rates. The proposal is supported by anecdotal evidence of patients who benefited from early intervention.
Why it matters
This highlights a potential shift in public health policy that could significantly impact cancer outcomes through proactive medical screening.
Donncha O'Brien is clinical director at the national neurosciences centre at Beaumont Hospital. Picture: Moya Nolan
Screening for brain tumours should be routine for under 50s because early detection can mean people live longer, a leading Irish neurosurgeon has said.
People diagnosed with advanced stage four glioblastoma tumours can have as little as two years to live, even with immediate surgery.
Sylvia Mehigan, a Cork woman going through treatment, said: “I live every day as it comes and that’s it. I’m going to fight as far as I can.”
She attended an event this week at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) discussing cutting-edge Irish research with global implications.
“I had a seizure on January 6, out of nowhere,” she said. “A friend of mine found me in my house and called an ambulance.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in