HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Brain MRI A-OK

Sandy in Silicon Valley · 11-07-2007, 11:16 AM

Hi, Christine -

Whew - such good news! How did your oncologist and/or radiation onc know that the "tumor had grown slightly" on your previous set of scans?

I'm in a similar position, though the jury is still out about the nature of a very slowly-growing "spot" deep in the right caudate/ basal ganglia section of my brain, where CyberKnife had been done for a .5cm spot, back in July 05.

Ever since routine quarterly brain scans in October 06, the same spot reappeared, and has been growing by approx. 2mm/quarter. Radiation onc, neurosurgeon and neuro-onc cannot determine if the "spot" represents radiation injury (necrosis/scarring) or indolently growing cancer cells. I started on Tykerb, in addition to Herceptin, on July 1, and was hoping that, if the "spot" were actually cancer cells, there would have been shrinkage on my last set of scans. Alas, instead there was another 2mm increase in just one direction - and no one is willing to hazard a more definitive guess at its derivation.

So, I keep hoping that one of these days (next MRI brain scans are due in Dec.), there'll be shrinkage, whether b/c the Tykerb is working and it WAS bcmets regrowth, or b/c the necrotic cells are being reabsorbed and disappearing.

In any case, your scan results give me hope that maybe mine will also show shrinkage with the next set! Thanks!

(((hugs)))
Sandy in Silicon Valley

11-07-2007, 11:16 AM	#35
Sandy in Silicon Valley Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Posts: 76	brain MRI results A-OK Hi, Christine - Whew - such good news! How did your oncologist and/or radiation onc know that the "tumor had grown slightly" on your previous set of scans? I'm in a similar position, though the jury is still out about the nature of a very slowly-growing "spot" deep in the right caudate/ basal ganglia section of my brain, where CyberKnife had been done for a .5cm spot, back in July 05. Ever since routine quarterly brain scans in October 06, the same spot reappeared, and has been growing by approx. 2mm/quarter. Radiation onc, neurosurgeon and neuro-onc cannot determine if the "spot" represents radiation injury (necrosis/scarring) or indolently growing cancer cells. I started on Tykerb, in addition to Herceptin, on July 1, and was hoping that, if the "spot" were actually cancer cells, there would have been shrinkage on my last set of scans. Alas, instead there was another 2mm increase in just one direction - and no one is willing to hazard a more definitive guess at its derivation. So, I keep hoping that one of these days (next MRI brain scans are due in Dec.), there'll be shrinkage, whether b/c the Tykerb is working and it WAS bcmets regrowth, or b/c the necrotic cells are being reabsorbed and disappearing. In any case, your scan results give me hope that maybe mine will also show shrinkage with the next set! Thanks! (((hugs))) Sandy in Silicon Valley __________________ 1992 - age 44/ ER-/PR+ Stage II dx - mastectomy, CAF x 6 cycles; Tamoxifen 1997 - BRCA1 mutation dx'd 1998 - ovaries removed 1999 - off Tamoxifen, on Arimidex 2003 - dx'd Stage IV - lymph nodes & lungs. ER-/PR-/HER2neu+++. Tx: Herceptin & Taxotere (6 cycles). 2005 - 2.9cm x 3.6cm brain tumor. Craniotomy, CyberKnife. 9 mo. staph aureus infection at incision site - 2nd craniotomy. Two small brain mets CyberKnife'd. 2006 - revisit Xeloda - dosage lowered to 2500mg/day, 5 cycles. 2007 - "spot" dx'd on qtrly brain MRI - same location as CyberKnife 7/05. > by 2-4mm per quarter - - radiation injury or re-growing cancer? Tykerb added to Herceptin - July, still "watching & waiting". Otherwise, fully functional... "The majority of people are not only afraid of holding a wrong opinion, they are afraid of holding an opinion alone." Kierkegaard