NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s HealthCare Removes Rare Brain Tumor from Austin Woman

12/07/09

22-Year-Old Woman Had Medulloblastoma, an Invasive Tumor Rarely Found in Adults and Even Less Common in Women

AUSTIN, TEXAS—On Monday, November 30, 2009, doctors at NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s HealthCare removed a medulloblastoma—a highly malignant brain tumor—from 22-year-old Charlotte Brandt.

According to the American Brain Tumor Association, medulloblastoma is a rapidly-growing tumor of the cerebellum—the lower, rear portion of the brain. This area controls balance, posture and complex motor functions such as speech and balance. Medulloblastoma is rare in adults, and seen even less frequently among women. Only about one-third of all medulloblastomas diagnosed in the United States are found in adults between the ages of 20 and 44.

“I realized something was wrong when I started getting really painful headaches. In early October, the pain was so bad it was difficult to work, but I never went to the hospital until I had a seizure,” Charlotte Brandt said. “I went in for tests and they told me I had a brain tumor.”

During the 1 1/2 hour procedure, neurosurgeons surgically removed the tumor, achieving a gross total resection—meaning the surgeons were able to remove every part of the tumor that was visually apparent on the MRI images. The patient’s case will be presented at the biweekly Neuro-Oncology Conference to determine whether Brandt will benefit from chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. This conference is attended by physicians from neurosurgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology and neuropathology. They will continue to monitor Brandt’s case every three months to ensure immediate action is taken if the tumor grows back.

“Now that the tumor has been completely removed, I expect she will make a full recovery with minimal follow-up treatment,” Dr. Mark Burnett, M.D., neurosurgeon and executive medical director of NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s HealthCare, said.

Following Brandt’s procedure, she was hospitalized for 3 days and should return to normal activities once her surgical staples have been removed.

“I know I’m in good hands and I feel blessed to have this behind me—and to have found such exceptional care so close to home,” Brandt said. “I am looking forward to recovering and eventually pursing my dream of becoming a pastry chef.”

As the Medical Director of the NeuroTexas Institute Research program, Dr. Burnett has been instrumental in developing the Center for Computational Neuroscience which focuses on the analysis of neurosurgical outcomes and development of novel treatment pathways to improve the care of neurosurgical patients. Dr. Burnett has long been committed to neuroscience research and continues to publish widely in the field. He has been the recipient of two research grants from the National Institutes of Health for his work in neurophysiology and cerebral blood flow. In addition, Dr. Burnett holds a patent for a non-invasive cerebral blood flow monitor used in the management of patients with brain and spinal injuries.

Dr. Burnet graduated from the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine in 1998. He completed his neurosurgical residency training at the University of Pennsylvania in 2005, where he also served as Chief Resident. Following residency, he completed a fellowship in complex spine surgery at the prestigious Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.

NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s HealthCare

NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s HealthCare is dedicated to ensuring the best clinical outcomes for patients with conditions affecting the brain, spine and nerves. The Institute was founded to promote quality care, provide academic leadership and perform advanced research in the field of neurosciences. For more information please visit NeuroTexasInstitute.com.

St. David's HealthCare

Ranked in 2007, 2008 and 2009 as the top Austin-area employer among large companies at the Austin Business Journal’s annual “Best Places to Work” event, St. David's HealthCare is the fifth-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 6,200 employees and $3.1 billion in annual gross revenues. In 2008, St. David’s HealthCare was named among the “100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare. That same year, St. David’s HealthCare received the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the State of Texas based upon world class quality measures. In 2008, St. David's HealthCare provided more than $271.6 million in free care to people who could not otherwise afford to pay.

With a total of 24 sites across Central Texas, St. David’s HealthCare includes five of the area’s leading hospitals: St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, St. David’s South Austin Hospital, St. David’s Medical Center and St. David’s Georgetown Hospital. In addition to its full-service rehabilitation hospital, St. David’s provides rehabilitation services at its acute-care facilities and at numerous outpatient rehabilitation clinics across the region. For more information please visit StDavids.com.