An Interview with Dr. Arnold Etame

Q & A

What is your goal in having this website?

I would like this site to serve as an educational avenue to promote brain health.

What is your specific focus on the brain and/or your specialty knowledge?

I focus on cancer and non-cancerous diseases of the brain.

What inspired you to get into researching and operating on brain tumors?

I was always fascinated by the tremendous potential of the brain and how it uniquely determines who we are as humans and what we perceive. It is also noteworthy there was a knowledge gap in our understanding with respect to the full extent to which the brain functions normally or perhaps abnormally in disease conditions. Furthermore, aggressive brain cancers pose a significant challenge in terms of treatment.  This combination of factors sparked my interest in becoming a neurosurgeon and a scientist focusing on treating brain cancers and restoring brain health.

What research have you taken part in that taught you something special?

Throughout many years, I have been involved in both clinical and basic science research projects mostly focusing on improving the outcomes of patients who undergo treatment for brain cancers — either through innovative treatments or through attaining a better understanding of their cancers in the lab and designing new treatments based on lab findings. Outcomes in studies are very important because they permit us to assess if what we do truly helps or hurts patients. On the surgery front, I have been very focused on technological advances that permit us to safely remove brain tumors and, in the process, minimize damage to critical brain structures.