Brain mets

[Cardiff05]

Good morning ladies My wife was was diagnosed with HGOC in 2020. She received the usual treatment Chemo including debunking she's never been NED.

Earlier this year it was found the disease had spread to supraclavicular nodes and she was advised watch and wait until they progressed which unfortunately they haves .It's subsequently been discovered cancer had spread to the cerebellum.

The initial advice from her oncologist was stereotactic radiotherapy (cyber knife) but numerology feel the disease load to much.

We're meeting with her oncologist and the consultant radiologist next week. The working suggestion is whole brain radiotherapy followed by Paclitaxol

I'm wondering if anyone has experienced brain whole brain radiotherapy and if so what to expect.

I'm sorry to ask these questions but so confused.

Thank you

[BlueHue22]

Hi There, I don't know the answer to this but I just wanted to send my best wishes that you get a good plan going forward at your next oncologist appointment.

Such an up and down journey isn't it and its great that your wife has you by her side.

Take care

[Cardiff05 in reply to BlueHue22]

Hi Thanks

And for your thoughts

It's an emotional as well as physical roller coaster.

As well as the often difficult posts on the site there's so many amazing hopeful and positive stories, since my partners diagnosis there's been the introduction of PARPs and I know from my own 'research' there's so many clinical trials taking place! I just wish the government would step up and speed up the approval of drugs and treatments .

Perhaps we need to be more assertive and shout louder!!!

[Greenme in reply to Cardiff05]

Hello Cardiff,I am sorry to hear of your wife's cerebellar metastasis! She is fortunate to have a supportive spouse in you, which should be helpful to her no matter what she has to face. I am an almost 7 year survivor of stage 4 ovarian cancer in the US. I am also a retired advanced practice nurse who runs a support group for gyne cancer survivors. I try to stay informed about current treatments to help my group members.

Unfortunately, I do not have experience with stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastasis, and whole brain radiotherapy does sound scary. It's definitely good to talk to the docs about risks and benefits, and to discuss possible alternatives. I would want to know what side effects and possible residual effects might be, and what her chances would be for survival with or without it. And, what alternatives are possible...

I recently read that Keytruda, an immunotherapy agent, is now approved here for use in conjunction with chemo drugs for ovarian cancer. Keytruda is a significant addition to things because it has been an effective cancer treatment for about 10 years in the US, and is used to treat 18 types of cancer at this point. The first time that I heard about Keytruda, it was used to treat our former President, Jimmy Carter, when it worked to clear the melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. He was 90 then, and just celebrated his 100th birthday today. While everyone may not be as lucky as President Carter, I would certainly ask about Keytruda in your wife's circumstance. My stance with battling cancer is to be well informed, and then be aggressive! I wish you both the best as you go forward with this next chapter of her treatment, whatever it brings. Take care!