I think Sheryl Crow has an AN.

[robynabc]

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20628596,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

I also believe her assessment of cell phones is wrong.   People keep reporting that every year or so with no evidence. 

[Jim Scott]

Yes, Sheryl Crow's description of her tumor certainly sounds like an acoustic neuroma.  However, someone should tell her that ANs were discovered over 100 years ago (on cadavers) and so, predate cell phones by about 80 years.  I notice she said that her doctors will not confirm her cell phone theory...for good reason.  It is unproven and illogical, in my opinion.  Besides, while I like Sheryl Crow's music, she has no more scientific or medical knowledge than any of us.  Being talented, rich and famous does not confer wisdom, just more attention for your opinions.

Jim

[ppearl214]

Cheryl Crow has a Meningioma, one of the most frequent of all benign brain tumors.

http://www.examiner.com/article/cheryl-crow-admits-to-having-brain-tumor

Phyl

[robynabc]

Do you happen to know what the frequency of AN's are? 

[ppearl214]

Do you happen to know what the frequency of AN's are?

robyn,

until recently, the thought was an AN occurring 1 in every 100,000 persons.  According to the ANA (from their website):

http://www.anausa.org/index.php/overview/what-is-acoustic-neuroma

How often do Acoustic Neuromas occur?

"Most recent publications suggest that the incidence of acoustic neuromas is rising. This is because of advances in MRI scanning both on incidental scans and for patients experiencing symptoms. Studies in Denmark published in 2004 show the incidence is 17.4 per million or close to 2 persons per 100,000. Most acoustic neuromas are diagnosed in patients between the ages of 30 and 60."

I hope this helps.
Phyl

[robynabc]

So I take it Meningioma occur much more than 1 per 100,000?

[leapyrtwins]

Personally I think Sheryl Crow should stick to singing and leave the medical stuff to the doctors.

Supposedly in addition to claiming her tumor (reported to be a meningioma) was caused by cell phone usage, she also made a statement saying that you need to monitor your body routinely for tumors because once you have one there is potential for more to "sprout" up.

Unless she is NF2, I just can't see that happening.

Where does she come up with this stuff?

Jan

[ppearl214]

So I take it Meningioma occur much more than 1 per 100,000?

Hi Robin

Meningiomas, noted by the BrainScience Foundation, are noted as follows.  I copy/pasted a good portion as I had coffee this morning and felt like it

Jan, saw Sheryl Crow open for the Rolling Stones when she first made it big. I agree... she needs to stick to singing......... she really did rawk that night.....

Phyl

===============================================================

http://www.brainsciencefoundation.org/bUnderstandbPrimaryBrainTumors/Meningioma/tabid/186/Default.aspx

"The most common type of primary brain tumor is the meningioma, a noncancerous tumor that arises from the abnormal growth of the cells that form the delicate outer covering of the brain, called the meninges.

Approximately 96% of meningiomas occur within the skull, with the remaining 4% involving the spinal column. Meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor, accounting for 34.4% of all such tumors. A primary brain tumor originates from the brain, spinal cord or associated tissues (called the central nervous system or CNS), while a secondary brain tumor arises from cancerous cells that have spread (metastasized) to the CNS from elsewhere in the body.
 
Most meningiomas (90%) are categorized as benign tumors, approximately 7–8% as atypical, and 2–3% as malignant. See the Types of Meningiomas section for a fuller discussion of these grades of meningioma. In general, most meningiomas do not actually invade brain tissue, although those that are malignant are likely to do so. Meningiomas affect the CNS by compressing brain tissue, nerves, or associated structures; causing reactive swelling in brain tissue; blocking flow of the fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) in the CNS; and/or blocking blood flow in CNS blood vessels. Each of these effects may result in various disabilities or even be life-threatening. Clearly, the term "benign" can be quite misleading in that such meningiomas may cause significant harm. However, benign meningiomas, as compared to those that are atypical and malignant, are more likely to exhibit slower growth, are less likely to reoccur, and rarely invade brain tissue.

Because most meningiomas often grow slowly, depending upon their location, a meningioma may reach a relatively large size before it causes symptoms. There is no way to know for certain how long a specific tumor was growing before diagnosis. Most people with a meningioma will have a tumor at only one site, but it is also possible to have several tumors growing simultaneously in different parts of the brain and spinal cord. "

[skipg]

Talented musicians have a way with words and melodies that seem to appeal to each of us in different musical formats. I suggest she do a song about "sprouting tumors" and cell pone usage. Who knows, could be a hit,
Skip

[Jackie]

My two cents worth:

I think Sheryl Crow means well, regarding her Meningioma, she like many of us is just trying to say "be aware of your body and symtoms" and seek help from the medical field! Let's not be too hard on her! I know I was very concerned upon my diagnosies, as to how and what caused them!!! It's just continued research that will bring to light why all of this happens!

Jackie

[Jim Scott]

My two cents worth:

I think Sheryl Crow means well, regarding her Meningioma, she like many of us is just trying to say "be aware of your body and symptoms" and seek help from the medical field! Let's not be too hard on her! I know I was very concerned upon my diagnosis, as to how and what caused them!!! It's just continued research that will bring to light why all of this happens!

Jackie ~

In essence, Sheryl Crow made a somewhat specious statement and I criticized her for doing so (not that she knows I'm alive or would care about my opinion if she did).

I don't doubt Ms. Crow's sincerity, I simply balk at her making definitive statements regarding the cause of her Meningioma - cell phone usage - when there is no scientific evidence to substantiate it.  Unfortunately, the public tends to give way too much credence to famous people when they spout opinions as if being exceptionally good at something (sports or the arts) confers equal amounts of intelligence or wisdom when it's painfully obvious that is not the case.

I was skeptical regarding cell phone usage as the culprit in my AN developing due to the fact that I didn't own a cell phone until after my tumor was discovered.  The aforementioned fact that acoustic neuromas were found by medical students (on cadavers) over 100 years ago greatly added to my skepticism.  The numerous studies that have been done are always inconclusive, which often means the findings don't support the premise (cell phone usage causes acoustic neuromas or worse, brain cancer) but no one is willing to make that statement for fear that if found wrong at some later date, they'll look incompetent, venal (bought off by cell phone manufacturers) or simply inept with an appropriate loss of credibility.

I don't pretend to know how or why I developed an acoustic neuroma, no more than Sheryl Crow knows why her body developed a Meningioma.  Frankly, at this point, I'm not overly concerned, either.  In my case, it happened and was successfully dealt with (surgery, radiation) and I'm fine.  I'll go with that.  While being alert to one's heath and any changes in your body or it's functions is practical advice, I didn't need to develop an acoustic neuroma to know that nor do I need a pop singer to tell me so.  Still, I like Sheryl Crow's music and never tire of hearing her 1994 hit "All I Wanna Do" when it's played on the 'oldies' station so Sheryl Crow and I do have some common ground, of sorts.

Jim

[annamaria]

The incidence is 1 (or 2) per 100,000 PER YEAR.

Why all sorts of people never make or grasp that point, "PER YEAR", a key parameter, is beyond me.

Than means, effectively, that if a person lived 100 years, THAT PERSON's probability of getting an AN is 1-in-1000. Hence, the lifetime, cumulative probability of getting an AN is 1-in-1000.

Namely, in a group of 1000 people (a mix of all ages), 1 person will have an AN.

Explaining this another way, there are about 30,000 automobile deaths a year in the U.S. That means that the incidence is 1 death every 10,000 people [see it this way: 1 death every 10,000 people = 1000 deaths every 10,000,000 = 10,000 deaths every 100,000,000 = 30,000 deaths every 300,000,000 people].

An average person, therefore, has a probability of 1 in 10,000 of dying in a car crash A YEAR -- EVERY year. A person that has a long life (say 80, 90, or 100 years) has, therefore a cumulative 1-in-100 chance of dying in a car accident. That person is exposed to that risk EVERY year...

...the probabilities (incidences) accumulate every year. A 1-in-100,000 AN incidence per year accumulates to 1-in-1000 chances of having an AN over a lifetime.

...just to keep the stats part of the conversation simple... everything else about ANs isn't that simple.

Annamaria

[leapyrtwins]

Phyl -

have never heard Sheryl Crow sing.

But I have noticed that medical professionals are starting to weigh in on her statements and they are presenting the facts, so hopefully she'll start to understand things and not make statements she can't support 

Jan

[annamaria]

US cellphone users:  327 million; new AN per year in the US: 3,500.

In other words, using these numbers, only (about) 1 every 100,000 cellphone users (per year) gets an AN.  If cellphones caused ANs, then a LOT MORE people would get ANs, since there are 327 million cellphone users in the US (and a lot more in the world.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rank     Country      Population         mobile phones
-----------------------------------------------------------------
         World           7,012,000,000     Over 5.6 billion
1       China           1,341,000,000     1,046,510,000
2       India            1,210,193,422       913,486,112
3       US                  310,866,000        327,577,529
4       Indonesia      237,556,363         265,100,000
5       Brazil             192,379,287         234,948,934

Annamaria

[MDemisay]

Annamarie,

Those are impressive statistics! Congratulations!  Your point is well taken.

 My neurosurgeon says the results are inconclusive but just the same, I use my cellphone sparingly.

Mike