BRAIN METS FROM COLORECTAL CANCER

dinkydi8
dinkydi8 Member Posts: 41
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Just doing a little research on the likelyhood of brain mets. from colon cancer.  Information from the members would be good. Am I right in assuming it is quite a low risk.  Cheers  dinkydi8

Comments

  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #2
    Just had surgery to remove one
    Seizure, excellent neurosurgeon removed this tumor.
    Monday, fit with halo and one treatment. Stereotactic radiology -no whole brain - just in spot where tumor was (size of little fingernail but sandy....not encapsulated) MRI and Cat Scans are their modalities for mapping and line up.
    All info out there I read says poor prognosis,,, not necessarily said my radiologist and he specializes in brain tumors, etc.
    Surgery was not painful.
    My fourth surgery this past year! (But not brain)
    All I can share...would like to hear from others, too.
    Just wasn't expecting this! Radiology Oncologist was very positive about outcome after treatment. I hope so but it has heightened my timeline in my mind...ugh
    Had an MRI yesterday and hoping still clear of further mets.
    Hope this mini - report helps.
    Barb
  • jain db
    jain db Member Posts: 8
    #3
    barbebarb said:

    Just had surgery to remove one
    Seizure, excellent neurosurgeon removed this tumor.
    Monday, fit with halo and one treatment. Stereotactic radiology -no whole brain - just in spot where tumor was (size of little fingernail but sandy....not encapsulated) MRI and Cat Scans are their modalities for mapping and line up.
    All info out there I read says poor prognosis,,, not necessarily said my radiologist and he specializes in brain tumors, etc.
    Surgery was not painful.
    My fourth surgery this past year! (But not brain)
    All I can share...would like to hear from others, too.
    Just wasn't expecting this! Radiology Oncologist was very positive about outcome after treatment. I hope so but it has heightened my timeline in my mind...ugh
    Had an MRI yesterday and hoping still clear of further mets.
    Hope this mini - report helps.
    Barb

    brain mets since 3 years

    You would be amazed to hear that my father had three brain mets ( Rectal cancer with mets to Lung) in March 2010. The doctors gave us a story of poor prognosis giving him few months to live. BUT he went through gammaknife treatment and the largest met which was 4 cms also got resolved .Since then he has had three gamma and one SRS treatmet. He has battled about 10-12 mets so far. We are still not going in for WBR to maintain his quality of life. Avastin helped him a lot but after 18 months there is progression in the lungs and liver. So we have now moved to Regorafenib.

    Pl dont worry about Brain mets. they have not caused him too much trouble except a couple of seizures. Pl go in for gamma knife as it is v good for brain mets. we have a doc here in New Delhi India who is an expert at this. His mentor is a Japanese doctor who has treated upto 80 brain mets at a time . My doctor says that my father will not die from brain mets but from liver failure whenever toxicity due to Chemo drugs goes overboard.

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #4
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  • luvinlife2
    luvinlife2 Member Posts: 172 Member
    #5
    Barb and Jain..

    I'm so happy to read your posts!  It's good to read some positive outcomes with respect to brain mets.  I've been told by a number of Dr.'s how rare this is for colon cancer yet in this little group on CSN there's been at least half a dozen or so who've had them.  I don't believe they are that rare anymore.  I actually fear developing brain mets more than my existing lung/liver mets so again, thanks for your posts!  :)

  • dinkydi8
    dinkydi8 Member Posts: 41
    #6
    brain mets from colorectal cancer

    Thank you all once again for your reply posts.  As I work in a hospital I see things that are unusual.  My husband has some dizziness which I believe is due to low blood pressure, however it started me thinking about brain mets and the percentage chance that adenocarcinoma of the colon may take a trip to the brain.  What I have found so far is that it is rare about 2% chance when there is no lung met.  The evidence for colo cancer seems to be that the liver is the favourite place to take up residence.  My husband is going in for Folfox treatment no. 6 tomorrow (my birthday).  He has had a dose reduction and a 3 week break, due to severe anaemia and subsequent dehydration.  He has no detectable mets. at this stage, after his resection and the removal of 35 lymph nodes 2 of which contained cancer. He has recovered well from his set back and really enjoyed his 3 week break.  Lets hope 2013 doesn't revolve around Cancer, and as many of you in this community say     Get on with living as none of us have an ironclad guarantee of 5 years or 5 minutes.  Much happiness to you all in 2013.  Cheers  dinkydi8

  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #7
    Rare but increasing

    I think it is still rare. However, as treatment for colorectal improves, every year, and survivors are living longer and longer, then I guess the chances also increase. The chemos most of us are on for CRC cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. 

    I was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer 10 years ago. Had mets to lung and bone. Then (9 years after diagnosis) brain. I had stereotactic radiation plus whole brain radiation. I had some temporary side effects from the WBR but all gone now. My oncologist also said I wouldn't die from brain mets....

    Tara

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