breast cancer to brain

[Yikes123]

I am interested in anyone’s experience with breast to brain cancer.

I had successful craniotomy over a year ago. Unfortunately it returned and is not operable. Has anyone had brainradiation? I’m currently on Xeloda to try to shrink the tumors.

Any feedback is welcome. I have no symptoms so far.

Thanks

[Flower1513]

My mom has had radiation for 4 brain lesions with gamaknife . Breast that went to brain. She did great each time . It’s been over a year since her last one. No major side effects or anything. But this was for a single lesion… but 4 different times. But I think a few ladies have did whole brain radiation on this site .

[Discocat]

I'm sorry to hear of your progression. I've definitely heard of people here having gama knife type of treatments for brain mets. I have lots of mets in skull bones and although my oncologist reassures me not to worry about progression to brain, I do think about it. If you don't mind me asking what are the range of your mets...was the spread from skull bone?I hope you get the answers that you want here and that it helps you to get the treatments too.

Sending you best wishes

Zoe xx

[Andersl]

When you say 'brain cancer' do you mean the breast cancer has spread to the brain or that you have another cancer?

If it is breast cancee which has spread to the brain it can be treated with radiotherapy. Either whole brain or stereotactic (targetted). When targeted radiotherapy is given to yhe brain it's usually called Gamma radiotherapy.

Gamma radiotherapy is preferable as it can spare potential harm to memory and/or functional activity. The lesions must come within certain limits. For that reason don't delay getting assessed for eligibility.

Either whole brain or Gamma are in my experience easily managed treatments.

Best wishes x

[Yikes123 in reply to Andersl]

Thank you. Yes, my cancer is breast cancer that migrated to the brain.

[Oberammergaux2]

My brother in law just had a lung met to the brain and was treated successfully with gamma knife radiation. One treatment and a day of snoozing off the sedatives and he was back to work! Radiation oncology is their own world and I’d head to them for their resources if you can.

All best wishes, you can do this!

[HelenWi]

I had gamma knife radiation - 5 sessions to treat 12 brain mets last August. It didn’t totally remove them but it significantly shrank them. I also changed the systemic therapy to Xeloda plus Tukysa. So far I haven’t had new mets. It’s a little frustrating that I don’t really know what’s keeping the cancer at bay now - (is it Xeloda, Tukysa, both?) but I guess the uncertainty is something we have to live with regardless of the type of breast cancer.

What kind of bc do you have? ER+ or HER2+ ? Mine is ER+ but my HER2 gene has a couple mutations which make me eligible for HER2 drugs.

Here is a good presentation on breast cancer brain mets by Dana Farber.

youtu.be/7L5H-jP_4Cw(Not working as expected?)

best,

Helen

[loopydo15]

Hi There,

I am curious what your symptoms were that alerted you to the brain mets? I am 5 years on Ibrance and am a hypacondriac!!!! I have mets to various parts of body but worry about the brain. Never get a head CT scan....just body. Thanks in advance for your response.

Linda

[Andersl in reply to loopydo15]

It depends which part of the brain the met/s are in. My experience has been weakness in leg, foot dragging and sharp intermittent pain in head. Each symptom occurring for separate recurrence (4 to date).

[Buffwright]

I’ve had several small Mets to brain. Had gamma knife radiation in 2022. I have a brain MRI every 3-6 months. A new radiologist is watching new small Mets ( I was on Enhertu for a while, which crosses the blood/brain barrier) but they seem stable. When I need treatment, he will do a newer form of targeted radiation—they dont do gamma knife at City of Hope anymore. I’ve never had symptoms. Mets were detected on an MRI ordered by my ophthalmologist! (I had a small lesion at the back of one eye—disappeared now.)

[Yikes123 in reply to Buffwright]

Can gamma knife apply to multiple spot or is is only 1 spot?

[HelenWi in reply to Yikes123]

I had gamma knife applied to 12 brain mets. It was done over 5 sessions, so I’m not sure how they were grouped, but it was definitely applied to multiple mets at the same time. It’s a pretty awesome technology.