Grade 3, an anaplastic astrocytoma

JanetLMcCoy said:

Thank you. You are so right.
Thank you. You are so right.

Question
If you dont mind, can you tell Nancy and I about your nephews tumor? How big was it, where was it located? After his initial chemo and radiation, did he continue chemo, and if so, for how long?

JanetLMcCoy said:

My nephew
His tumor was in the right insular (pushing on the temperal lobe) and was about 6 cm, about the size of an egg. He had surgery to remove the tumor and doctor's believe (from before/after) tests that all the tumor was removed. His surgeon felt like it was a grade II, but when the pathology came back, the radiologist graded it a III.

They called a meeting of the Tumor Board and the majority decided a grade III. He had six weeks of radiation and the doctor's recommended no chemo.

He's done remarkably well; he needed very little physical therapy. He's past the six month point and is back at work and driving. The doctor's have been up-front about the potential return of cancer and had said he will have chemo then.

He's very upbeat and positive, but of course, sometimes it hits him. They have a three-year-old son and you can't help but think about the future. Their faith is very strong, and we all know how very blessed they are.

He recently said he wished he could find someone who has done well and survived past the diagnosis. He has not been willing to attend support group meetings so none of us have pushed it.

I posted wanting to try to find someone who might be willing to talk to him by e-mail ... and just want to pass along the information. I don't know if he will do it, but want him to have the opportunity.

Through this journey, I try to support, encourage and pray. Thanks for your help.

tumor
my tumor was the size of a golf ball, and was in between a 2 and 3 also, however, my drs. decided to go ahead with the chemo also, I took it all through my radiaiton and am half way through the 6 month plan of 5 days a month. Nancy and I have talked through email--I am more than happy to talk with him if he wants to talk to someone--my email is csnelling1@neb.rr.com.

I have not been to a live support group either--just this website and the national brain tumor foundation. I since have met 2 woman at my work who have had benign brain tumors and we have spent some time talking about our situations too.

cancerfreeinhope said:

I had just about the same
I had just about the same set-up. Grade 3, went to MD Anderson had surgery,6 weeks of radiation, 13 months of Temodar,lost 30 lbs. That was in July 2003, this July was my 5 years cancer free.. I am back at work, the only thing that I have noticed is that I'm more tired than I was before.

During radiation they told me that one in a thousand would lose their hair permenently. I was the one. So now I have to wear a hair piece. If I was a guy I wouldn't worry about it, but I scared one of my son's friend one night when I wasn't wearing a hat and decided to buy a hair piece.

Six months post-op. I had a Grand Mal Seizure and ended up in ICU for a couple of days. Now I take Depokote daily and have it under control.

What Dr. do you see at MD Anderson? I love that hospital, every person that we have met have been so nice and helpful. The only thing I don'at like is it's 6 hours from where live.
That's a long drive.

So glad to hear your story
I am so glad to hear that your are doing well and are 5 years cancer free. My husband just finished his chemo treatments and took Temodar also. He also takes the Depokote for his seizures and has not had any on this medication. It gives me great hope that you are doing so well. My husband seems to really worry. His next MRI is in a month. I just know that everything will be great. Everyone, please keep the encouraging stories coming.

Trusting in the Lord!
My wife was diagnosed January 2006 with a mixed anaplastic astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma grade 3. Same as most of you, we were devastated when we heard the statistics, 3-5 years. My wife was 26 years old at the time. We have three small children, the youngest was only one month old when she was diagnosed. She had a grand mal seizure, rushed to Hospital, and had emergency surgery in Hamilton Ontario. They were able to remove most of the tumor, but not all. 60 days of radiation combined with chemo (Temador) and then another 12 cycles of chemo alone. She tolerated it fairly well. Actually had more problems with the steroids (to reduce swelling) than the chemo. Now 3 years later, still doing well. She has an MRI done every 2-3 months. Results were usually "stable". Unfortunately the last MRI, done in February, revealed that there was little change from the December scan but there is slow, definite progression since June 2008. When they looked at all of the scans there is a trend of tumor growth. This news really upset my wife. She has been very strong and positive the whole time, but now it seems like she is starting to think that it might just be God's will to take her home early. That she may not see her children grow into the fine Christian adults she is praying for. Over all she is still strong for the most part, but I do catch her from time to time sneaking away to cry and pray. We still trust in the Lord. Please pray for us, as we pray for all of you.

PBJ Austin said:

I'm so glad to find this board
Just 2 days ago my 25-year-old sister was diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytoma. One of her tumors was removed at MD Anderson by Dr. Sawaya. She recovered nicely from the surgery but we were devastated when the pathology report came back with this diagnosis. I've been reading so much grim news on the internet, and this is the first positive thing I've found.

Thank you all for sharing your stories, this will help my family and me as we begin this journey.

I agree
PBJ Austin,
Good for you for being so active and finding this board so soon. I wish I had found it 3 years ago. I waited too long before I started looking for positive stories of hope and survival. The first thing I found on the internet after my wife was diagnosed in 2006 was all about the statistics (most of them far out-dated). I couldn't help but think, "she's going to die...soon, the rest of her time here will be miserable, our children will no longer have a mother, I will grow old alone, etc.". Yes, it is true that this is a horrible, deadly disease, and many lives are cut short, but it is wonderful to see that there are so many people surviving many years and encouragin one another. I thank God for that. We can all learn from each other here. There are times that are almost unbearable, and there are other times that everything is just great. I know it's easier for me to say than most of you, since I do not have the cancer myself, but I just like you to know that I share these things with my wife, who can't read, and it truly does strengthen her to hear about this hope. We also have a strong faith and a lot of support from friends, family, church, even my co-workers and bosses, and all of you.

Thanks

Hi Janet
I was diagnosed last summer with an anaplastic astrocytoma, Grade 3. How is your nephew-in-law doing? I am married and have a 4 year-old daughter and my wife is expecting our second girl.
Please respond.

Thank you,

Romulo Lima

ronefx said:

I had a grade 3 astrocytoma
I had a grade 3 astrocytoma tumor removed feb 1993 at Herman Hospital in Houston, TX. I had 6 weeks of radiation and a year of chemotherapy at MD Anderson after the surgery. I was 18 then and am 34 now, just had a M.R.I. and everything still looks good. I trust and know the Lord had his healing hand involved. I found this site, looking for a website that has some survivors after effects, if that makes sense. I feel tired often and unmotivated. I also have other problems that doctors can't seem to find an answer to, so if anyone knows of a website please post it here, thanks.

thank you for givin us hope
i would like to know , if you don't mind .
are you able to work and do every thing you pleased?