Senator Edward Kennedy

Senator Edward Kennedy was diagnosed with and quickly succumbed to the devastation of a malignant glioma. "Malignant gliomas are a type of brain cancer diagnosed in about 9,000 Americans a year -- and the most common type among adults."

"Average survival can range from less than a year for very advanced and aggressive types -- such as glioblastomas -- or to about five years for different types that are slower growing.

But if the tumor is determined to be very advanced and aggressive, like a glioblastoma, survival can be less than a year. Survival for slower growing tumors can be five years.

Surgery can be an option to reduce symptoms as a tumor enlarges and puts pressure on the rest of the brain. Many gliomas infiltrate normal brain tissue instead of forming a solid mass, making it hard to remove much of the tumor."

Works Cited:

What Is A Malignant Glioma? (2008, May 20) Retrieved October 13, 2009, from http://wbztv.com/politics/tedkennedy/Kennedy.brain.tumor.2.728543.html