HOMETOWN: ALBION, NE
DIAGNOSIS: LOW GRADE GLIOMA | CORTICAL DYSPLASIA
DATE OF DIAGNOSIS: 2021
CURRENT STATUS: FIGHTING
Claire Bennett, an 8-year-old from Albion, Nebraska, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2021, after suffering from seizures for the last four years. She has been receiving care at Stanford Children’s Hospital and in January had surgery to remove the tumor. Although the tumor is considered low grade, it is a more aggressive type, so she will continue to have MRIs every three months to check for regrowth.
Claire’s tumor has a genetic mutation called BRAF v600e that promotes the growth and spread of cancer cells. This would lead to high-grade tumor progression if not controlled. There is a chemotherapy option that slows the tumor growth that other children with that mutation have had success with. That will be the plan of attack should Claire’s tumor progress.
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