Need Help - Brain Mets
 

Hello,

My mother has had brain mets for about 1.5 years. First time she underwent WBR - clear and then came back again. She then took Temodar - disease progressed. The Onc added Navelbine with Herceptin, and I also asked mom to take Boswella Serata based on Lani's post some time ago. The disease decrease by half. On her next scan the lesions grew very little and it is at this time (about 8 months ago) that mom was put on Tykerb/Xeloda combo (she was still taking Boswella Serata). 4 months ago her scans came out clear. Currently she is vacationing in the US to visit her first grand child, but in the past 3 days she has been wavering quite a bit when she walks i.e. she moves away from a straight line. She also is getting sporadic headaches. I have read enough to be worried of these symptoms. She does not have insurance here, so we are unsure of what to do...however if there is a treatment that is applicable to her such as CyberKnife etc we can pay for it..back home we do not have this technology..so please feel free to advise.

We called her onc and she has prescribed Decadron for now (mom is still on Tykerb without Xeloda for the past 2 months). She will take her scan once she gets back i.e. Dec 18,2007

Please, if you have had any success on treatments or state of art methodoligies, please advise.

Thanks

Shahyan

Shahyan,

I had a small brain met that was treated with CyberKnife and my last brain MRI showed all clear. The procedure was completely painless and took about an hour and a half. There is also GammaKnife. I would suggest that your mom get a brain MRI as soon as possible and then you can move forward. I'll keep her in my prayers.

I second Kate's advice. There are options out there....but you need to find out what is happening first.

Good Luck.

Thank you for your responses & Lani thanks for your PM. I have one question - can a person do CyberKnife etc if she has undergone WBR?

Thanks

Shahyan

Shahyan,

Yes you can have CyberKnife even though you've had WBR. The advantage of CyberKnife is that you don't have to stop chemo treatment like you do with WBR. Please keep us updated.

Where is she in the US? Perhaps some of us can refer you to doctors in the area near to where she is...