Brain radiation. Is it worth it?

ThaRay

SF said:

Is it worth it?
This is a very well thought out and reasonable question. My brain tumors were from metastatic breast cancer. I had whole brain radiation which did not work but gave me all the side effects. Six months later I had radiosurgery which did work with a lot less side effects. For any brain radiation, you will need steroids to control the swelling of the brain. They do have some side effects but do give a lot of energy. In your situation, it is a hard decision but I think I would try. When my tumors were found they were causing me great dizziness and loss of balance, as they increased, I could not move my head or body. So if you are thinking about quality of life, maybe ask your doctor what part of the brain will the tumors press on as they grow. If it is not an area that will greatly change you, maybe it would be better not to have radiation. Hopefully I am not making matters worse but rather giving you some more information to help you decide. God bless. SF

Radiation Therapy
I initially posted this on another subject board but it was suggested that I repost here (thanks again Joe!).

Since the original posting I am now able to identify the locations: mets to front right and left rear hemispheres as well as frontal lobe and smaller tumors down the center.

"My day was spent online researching the subject of brain metastasis and now ends with my posting to this board - so lucky to have found it!

In May 2008, my sister started chemo treatment for NSCLC. She missed four full doses of treatment because of low blood count. In January 2009 her oncologist started her on a new regimen. In February her lung tumor became more dense. Other symptoms prompted an MRI. The image showed multiple brain metastases. This Monday she is due to start 17 daily 15-minute sessions of radiation: 14 WBRT treatments the final three SRS.

I know that treatments are specific to each patient but I'm wondering if anyone has information to share on recent radiation treatments? Following radiation treatment, her oncologist will place her on a more aggressive chemo treatment (drug type has not yet been determined). Also wondering about how the delay in chemo in order to begin radiation will affect her?

The family so hopes for the best and that is our usual direction of thought."

Tha

Diane03

ThaRay said:

Radiation Therapy
I initially posted this on another subject board but it was suggested that I repost here (thanks again Joe!).

Since the original posting I am now able to identify the locations: mets to front right and left rear hemispheres as well as frontal lobe and smaller tumors down the center.

"My day was spent online researching the subject of brain metastasis and now ends with my posting to this board - so lucky to have found it!

In May 2008, my sister started chemo treatment for NSCLC. She missed four full doses of treatment because of low blood count. In January 2009 her oncologist started her on a new regimen. In February her lung tumor became more dense. Other symptoms prompted an MRI. The image showed multiple brain metastases. This Monday she is due to start 17 daily 15-minute sessions of radiation: 14 WBRT treatments the final three SRS.

I know that treatments are specific to each patient but I'm wondering if anyone has information to share on recent radiation treatments? Following radiation treatment, her oncologist will place her on a more aggressive chemo treatment (drug type has not yet been determined). Also wondering about how the delay in chemo in order to begin radiation will affect her?

The family so hopes for the best and that is our usual direction of thought."

Tha

I just finished 2 weeks of
I just finished 2 weeks of radiation. They did not stop my chemo in the interim. I have lung,adrenal gland and now brain.
It's the steriods that make you a little nuts. I tolerated the radiaiton with minimal effects. Some confusion and nausea. My eyesight is shot, but hope it will return.

ThaRay

Diane03 said:

I just finished 2 weeks of
I just finished 2 weeks of radiation. They did not stop my chemo in the interim. I have lung,adrenal gland and now brain.
It's the steriods that make you a little nuts. I tolerated the radiaiton with minimal effects. Some confusion and nausea. My eyesight is shot, but hope it will return.

Thank you Diane03!
I appreciate your post - thanks for sharing! My sister too had a few of radiation's companions - dizziness being the most troublesome. I hope that your symptoms are waning and that your vision has returned.

stayingcalm

ThaRay said:

Radiation Therapy
I initially posted this on another subject board but it was suggested that I repost here (thanks again Joe!).

Since the original posting I am now able to identify the locations: mets to front right and left rear hemispheres as well as frontal lobe and smaller tumors down the center.

"My day was spent online researching the subject of brain metastasis and now ends with my posting to this board - so lucky to have found it!

In May 2008, my sister started chemo treatment for NSCLC. She missed four full doses of treatment because of low blood count. In January 2009 her oncologist started her on a new regimen. In February her lung tumor became more dense. Other symptoms prompted an MRI. The image showed multiple brain metastases. This Monday she is due to start 17 daily 15-minute sessions of radiation: 14 WBRT treatments the final three SRS.

I know that treatments are specific to each patient but I'm wondering if anyone has information to share on recent radiation treatments? Following radiation treatment, her oncologist will place her on a more aggressive chemo treatment (drug type has not yet been determined). Also wondering about how the delay in chemo in order to begin radiation will affect her?

The family so hopes for the best and that is our usual direction of thought."

Tha

ThaRay, I also have lung cancer mets to the brain - I was on a clinical trial drug for 2 years that did wonders for my lungs but failed to keep the cancer from traveling north :P I had surgery to remove the largest spot from my parietal lobe, followed (after a short period of recovery) by 20 whole-brain radiation sessions, and then 5 Tomo-Therapy sessions to focus on the remaining spots.

I had a lot of fatigue - I was also on steroids and anti-seizure meds as a precaution following the surgery, so my experience may differ (I had a series of 40 lung radiations in 2006, and I don't remember being quite so tired all the time). Like Diane03, my eyesight has worsened since the radiation. The radiation oncologist gave me the standard talk about how some studies have shown some short-term memory problems occurring later on, but she also stressed that these studies were done on the very people who WOULD tend to have short-term memory issues - eldertly post-menopausal women...I can't say that I've noticed my memory has been any worse than usual. That's not saying much

When I had lung radiation, I was having chemo at the same time, but it may be different with brain radiation; this time my oncologist told me to wait until I had recovered a bit before starting Tarceva. The whole-brain radiation caused a rash/dry, flaky skin on my forehead as well as making my hair fall out. Doctors may reccommend Eucerin to deal with the rash, but I found plain vaseline to do a better job.

The best of luck to your sister, ThaRay.