So I am in a new world. Just after I stopped taxotere treatments, I went into the hospital with headaches and double vision. It turned out that my PC had spread to to the bone structure in my sinus cavity.
I have started cabazitaxel and the initial results as reported are excellent.
My MO (Mark Pormrantz at DFCI in Boston) and my treatment team have recommended radiation to attempt to kill any remaining mets in the sinus and around my skull. I have been prescribed memantine to help with memory loss.
While I want to be aggressive as possible, having my skull fried is a little frightening. (LOL)
The treatment will consist of radiation for 10 minutes or so for 10 days. The RO and my Onc team believe it will get the PC in my head and prevent a re-occurrence of the situation.
Has anyone had similar treatments, and what advice can you give me.
Your brother in battle.
Scituate Mike
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The kind of radiation they will give you is highly precise and is exactly contoured to the bones in your skull, The technique (stereotactic radiation therapy) was originally used to deliver radiation to specific areas in the brain where even a small "miss" can be catastrophic. They can plan it with sub-millimeter accuracy. It is even more accurate with bone than with soft tissue.
Tumors in the base skull which can not be treated surgically are usually irradiated with acceptble rate of side effects. There are radiologists oncologists with experience in treating these tumors. Your situation is similar. It is really very scary but it could be your on;y choice if systemic treatment is not effective. Here there is some info:
We initially thought is bacteria or fungus infection. Between an MRI and CAT scan it was determined it was Prostate Cancer. This was confirmed after surgery, and we had the biopsy results.
It was in the right frontal sinus, and put pressure on the optic nerve. Had headaches and double vision that was attributed to pressure on the optic nerve of my right eye. I have been seen by both the Ear, Nose and Throat Team , and Neuro-Ophthalmology at Brigham and Women's in Boston. The ENT did the surgery that cleared the sinus and the Neuro has evaluated my eyesight. My oncology Team at Dana Farber (both MO and RO) have been involved in the decision making process.
Well, the good news is that, with the biopsy, the diagnosis is quite certain. Am I correct in assuming that the clearing surgery and biopsy were done endoscopically?
Your situation interests me because, years ago, I had a sinus problem that required a craniotomy. Some of the CSF was drained from my brain so that it could be pushed aside to patch a hole through which my brain had been herniating into my sphenoid cavity. Turned out OK. Now I have Stage 4 PCa, and I still have some sinus problems, but I don't think they are connected.
Sounds like you are in good hands with all appropriate medical skills involved. Good luck, and keep us informed.
I just had 10 radiation sessions to the brain (meningial area). This saved my life as cancer was spreading quickly damaging central nervous system. I'm on immunotherapy and PARP inhibitor now, My brain is fully functional, I'm a lead architect on large software project, continue to work after treatment. My RO also prescribed Memantin to reduce side-effects on healthy brain cells. If cancer gets to control center - that's game lost. Gotta protect it hard, go for it.
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