Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma Treatment in India

Olivia Gupta, a 42-year-old senior software...

Olivia Gupta, a 42-year-old senior software architect and mother of two young children, had always been the organized, dependable one in her family. Over several months, she began experiencing subtle but persistent changes: difficulty finding words during high-stakes presentations, occasional numbness in her left hand that made typing cumbersome, and two episodes where she briefly lost track of her surroundings. An MRI revealed a mass in her right frontal lobe. Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Evans, explained it was an anaplastic oligodendroglioma, a tumor that, while aggressive, often responds well to a combined approach. He recommended maximal safe surgical resection, emphasizing that removing as much of the tumor as possible would be the critical first step before targeted radiation and chemotherapy. Olivia underwent a 6-hour awake craniotomy, where she was asked to name objects and move her fingers to help the surgical team protect her speech and motor functions. The surgery successfully removed over 95% of the visible tumor. Her recovery in the neuro-ICU was challenging, with significant headache and fatigue, but within weeks her word-finding difficulties improved. The emotional journey was a rollercoaster; before surgery, she was terrified of not being there for her children's milestones. After the successful procedure and with a clear post-operative treatment plan, she felt a powerful sense of agency and hope, channeling her meticulous nature into managing her recovery and appreciating small, daily moments with her family.