# Infected belly button vs brain tumor **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135 "2009-12-05T22:49:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/41 "2009-12-08T03:54:03Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > Think of the brain in two components: the gray matter (thinky bits) and the white matter (the scaffold). The glial cells support the nerve cells. I’m sorry to nitpick in this otherwise somber thread, but this isn’t quite correct. As you stated, glial cells do support the nerve cells and are the ones that comprise most central nervous system tumors; grey matter vs. white matter is another distinction. Very roughly, grey matter is where the neuron cell bodies are, white matter is where the neuron axons are. Different types of glial cells are interspersed in both grey and white matter. > **[Grey matter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_matter)** > > Grey matter (gray matter in American English) is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries. Grey matter is distinguished from white matter in that it contains numerous cell bodies and relatively few myelinated axons, while white matter contains relatively few cell bodies and is composed chiefly of long-range myelinated axons. The colou > **[White matter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_matter)** > > White matter refers to areas of the central nervous system that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called tracts. Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain functions, modulating the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay and coordinating communication between different brain regions. > White matter is named for its relatively light appearance resulting from the lipid content of myelin. Its white color in prepared specimens is due to its usua... ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/42 "2009-12-08T15:12:58Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > I’m sorry to nitpick in this otherwise somber thread, but this isn’t quite correct. > > As you stated, glial cells do support the nerve cells and are the ones that comprise most central nervous system tumors; grey matter vs. white matter is another distinction. > > Very roughly, grey matter is where the neuron cell bodies are, white matter is where the neuron axons are. Different types of glial cells are interspersed in both grey and white matter. > > [Grey matter - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_matter) > [White matter - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_matter) They bored deep into the brain to get a piece for biopsy. Is that going to have a deleterious effect on his thinking processes? Will the procedures they have started and will do in the near future be harmful to his memory or physical functions? If so ,will they come back slowly or at all? ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/43 "2009-12-08T23:32:40Z")
Fortunately, most of the important aspects of cognition and personality seem to be somewhat distributed processes. The small hole in the brain to accommodate the biopsy instrumentation shouldn’t have much of an effect, but of course no one wants a hole in the head and the accompanying (if minor) risk of bleeding, infection, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/44 "2009-12-09T02:11:54Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > Fortunately, most of the important aspects of cognition and personality seem to be somewhat distributed processes. The small hole in the brain to accommodate the biopsy instrumentation shouldn’t have much of an effect, but of course no one wants a hole in the head and the accompanying (if minor) risk of bleeding, infection, etc. Two holes apparently. I just talked to him. He is at home and will wait a week for the results. Next Monday or Tuesday . They drilled one to drain fluid the tumor excreted and one for the biopsy. You would think they could drill one and just flip him over and use the same hole . But I guess I don’t know medical things that well. They said keep the dogs away. What dodg wouldn’t like ti like those wounds? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/45 "2009-12-09T20:23:09Z")
Make that 3 holes. They cut one in his stomach for the fluid. That seems like routing it a long way. How much fluid are they getting? I just think they made too many holes. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/46 "2009-12-09T20:42:07Z")
I’m not sure why they would do it in your brother’s case, but don’t people sometimes get a shunt from the center of the brain to the stomach to drain excess fluid? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/47 "2009-12-10T02:56:33Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I’m not sure why they would do it in your brother’s case, but don’t people sometimes get a shunt from the center of the brain to the stomach to drain excess fluid? It is all new to me. I am learning a whole lot more about brain cancer than I ever wanted to know. He has 12 staples on one hole, 6 on another and some on the stomach hole. Now he is facing chemo and radiation. It has just begun .It will be very tough on him and all he is likely doing is buying some time. But what is more important than that. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/48 "2009-12-10T03:31:45Z")
Be sure to look into both Gamma Knife and CyberKnife if and when radiation comes into play… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Composer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Composer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Composer)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/49 "2009-12-10T15:22:14Z")
Your brother is in our thoughts, **gonzomax**. My father-in-law had a tumor that originated on his olfactory nerve. His sense of taste and smell disappeared, but he (and his PCP) attributed it to sinus infections. Later, he started having headaches, but those were also attributed to minor things. Then, one day, he saw a bright white flash of light and his vision dimmed. That’s when they found the tumor. It had grown so much that it completely crushed his optic nerve and caused him to go blind. All the expert neurosurgeons said there is no way we would have ever known the tumor was there, and neither would the other doctors. Unfortunately, the symptoms had to progress far enough for it to reveal itself. The tumor sits just behind the eyes and is inoperable due to his age (82) and it’s location. Radiation and chemo shrunk the tumor and seemed to have killed it, so far. He’s survived 2 years post diagnosis and treatment and is still doing well, albeit sightless. It has been a hard road, but we are all thankful for the time we’ve been given with him. For what it’s worth, try to keep a positive attitude. It’s amazing what it can do for healing. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135/50 "2009-12-10T17:07:47Z")
He is in the Pham ,health field. When he got sick one of his connections told him, once you get the specific diagnosis he will recommend the best place in the country to treat that specific type of cancer. It is good to have coverage and connections. I have a friend from racketball that has lymphoma. They are doing some procedures on him, collecting stem cells and radiating him like Chernobyl. He is 46 years old and while he is undergoing terrifying procedures, he is worried about his insurance company dropping him. They have already refused to pay for some tests. He paid himself and can not afford any more setbacks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-belly-button-vs-brain-tumor/520135.md?page=2)