Grade 3 Fibrillary Astrocytoma and deuling doctors

labales
labales Member Posts: 9
in Brain Cancer #1
My hubby had only hand tremor, nausea, and a single episode of confusion by August 27, 2011.
He had diffuse periventricular masses on CT and MRI and stereotactic biopsy on 08/31 finally
came back from Mayo on 09/12 as Grade 3 Fibrillary Astrocytome. His first oncology appointment is August 15.

Since August 28, he has developed intractable vomiting and headaches only controlled by decadron. But this brillant man has become totally demented in past 16 days. Worse every day. He gets lost at night at home going from bed to bath, stopped being able to use a stove 4 days ago and today could not figure out how to turn on a shower. It is like living with a 6'2", 200# 2 year old. He gets lost everywhere.

Today I took him to Indiana University Medical Center and met a very nice neuro-oncologist named Stephanie Wagner. She acknowledged the lack of speed in treatment and my husbands rapid decline and she offered to admit him immediately at IU Med Center and start IV Avastin and po Temodar for 4 weeks before starting whole brain radiation. He is non-resectable due to diffuse periventricular tumors. She called Neal's oncologist to discuss case and make recommendations.

Then I talked to our local oncologist and he offered to make Neal a direct admit back in Fort Wayne near our home. Tonight he offered to start Temodar and radiation next week, but did not like the idea of following the neuro-oncologist's plan and states Avastin needs to be used if radiation plus Temodar fails. He said she is operationg on idea tumor is behaving as glioblastoma multiforme. IU Med center is 3 hours from home and he is 20 minutes. I have an elderly demented mother on my farm, 7 pets and 17 rental properties to run, so leaving home for another city is close to logistically impossible.

I really liked the way she accepted this cancer is progressing so rapidly that agression may be necessary. I have to decide local or state med center.

Anyone with experience with Avastin as frontline therapy for Stage 3 astrocytoma.

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