Whatever you can say to help me is appreciated. My lung cancer is in maintenance mode as I have shared with you and good news today is now on chemo vacation. But on Monday thought having stroke as speech became slurred went to Emergency Room long story short - I now have one very small brain tumor. It can be treated with one dose of pinpoint radiation (has fancy name I can't recall) only to that spot. Doctor says 70 to 90% success. Will have treatment Friday morning. Also put on steroids to reduce swelling on brain so no more problems to motor skills such as slurred speech doctor says. Anyone know anything about this kind of cancer or treatment? Doctor says no side affects from treatment except tiredness for a day. No other side affects but I am wondering about that???? Doctor says won't know if it works until 2 months after treatment when do Ct again. Without treatment, I would die to be blunt. Help again my friends. I knew cancer would come back just a shock but it's small tumor. Thanks
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Marymac4441
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The treatment you are having is either gammaknife or cyberknife and I'm glad for you that this is an option. It prevents damage to the surrounding tissue and preserves cognition.
A couple friends of mine have a mutation that causes lots of brain mets. One of them has had 66 tiny mets cyberknifed and the other 4. They both are doing very well. One is the mom of 3 children ages 6-9 and runs a business. Myself and a couple other friends will prepare a couple days worth of meals for her.
With you're attitude I think you'll do great. Just a suggestion for the time you're sitting there for the treatment: envision a Star Wars type battle and the radiation is like Luke Skywalker dropping a bomb in that Death Stars one weak spot.
I had two small lesions with gamma knife radiation. No side effects other than was tired a couple days later. It was 4 months before they did another brain MRI and it was clear. Last one done in December was also clear.
Marymac, Thanks for letting us know how things are going - that must have been very frightening when you thought you were having a stroke. Your attitude is wonderful and I just want to say, "Go and get that tumor - get it out of your head!!!!!" You can and will do this - your personal cheerleaders are all here jumping around and waving silly pom poms for you!
The symptoms you had this weekend are exactly how my battle began back o 3/27/15 - I thought I had Vertigo, at first, then the next day I started having some weakness in my right hand....I saw my PCP and he sent for an Urgent CT Scan - while at the hospital I started having difficult getting my words out -- thought then it might be a mini stroke -- it was a brain tumor! I was admitted that day and immediately put on Dexamethasone (Steroids) to help with the swelling, my speech did get worse and I lost the use of my right hand/arm, but the Steroids really helped and by the time I went home (a week later), I had greatly improved. While in the hospital, I had a 'kazillion" tests (MRI, another CT Scan, Bronchoscopy (Biopsy) etc. - that's when I learned I had Stage IV NSCLC Adeno, a pulmonary embolism and the brain tumor, which was a met from the Lung Cancer. It was a whole lot to take in and I had no chest symptoms (no cough, no SOB, not pain, nothing) still never have?
Happily, I had Stereotactic Radiation (Cyberknife) a few weeks later and it worked perfectly -- the tumor has never returned! A one time high dose treatment - which sounds like what they will be doing for you!! So happy at how well it worked and would do it again in heartbeat!!
I then began treatment for the LC (Chemo, Radiation and most recently Immunotherapy) and as of my latest CT Scans (Late March) - I am NED.!!
WIshing you the very best and hope you have the same great success!!
No! I did very well - no side effects of any kind. The hardest part for me, was simply having the procedure, because I am so claustrophobic, but I did it and and am very happy and thankful for the great results - that was back in April of 2015!!
A recent study showed that the kind of focused radiation you are going to get has better results for patients than older treatments. Everything I hear is very positive for people like you who have either one or just a few brain mets. Fingers crossed that the treatment is completely effective for you!
You can do this! Here is a reply to a post about three months ago labeled "not sure what to think"-you can do a search for it to view the whole string. The big term is Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)
3 months agoJenniferroseolson
My brain mets were not found until they were too large for SRS. I had craniotomy to remove two. Then on a 6 month follow-up MRI, we found two more mets, this time very very small and treated by SRS with steroids. I will be closely followed with MRI every 3-4months.
SRS is an amazing technology. The recovery truly is quite simple....I drove myself home from the actual radiation treatment and played volleyball the next evening. Having the mask made is the hardest part (harder than the claustrophobic feeling of wearing the mask for the actual radiation). There are a couple different "machines" that are used, so the doctor may refer to it based on which one your cancer center uses.
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers during these procedures. It sounds as if you are a strong person but even when we are strong, it's nice to have a feeling of support from others. Good luck!😊
I had a very similar experience except I got headaches. My oncologist set me up for a head MRI and they found the tumor. I had three cyberknife treatments and I am now waiting until June 1st to have my follow up MRI. It is very scary and I hate the waiting but that is what you have to do. I hope everything goes well for you. I will pray for us both
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