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StephN · 10-09-2008, 10:45 AM

Hi -
Just one slight correction to Pattyz's post above.
I FIRST had the Gamma Knife - 56 minutes beams aimed at the largest tumor and 20 min for the small tumor.

Even the larger 3cm tumor was looking good (dying/shrinking) for the first year post treatment. At the one year scan is when it started to light up in the tumor bed. It was after that I had the open surgery to remove the tissue. The surgeon and my radiologists all said there was no good way to tell short of the excision what was going on in that radiated area.

When I had my Gamma Knife, it was over 4 years ago, so in the meantime there are newer and different treatments.

BUT, at the time I had Gamma Knife, there was a good study out that showed 90 or 91% success rate for Gamma Knife of HER2 metastatic brain tumors when they were 3 or less in number.

I found that study and brought it up to my rad onc who actually knew one of the study leaders.

In Joan's case I think she probably will not experience the difficulty I did since her surgery would be in the front area and a place where there is not so much movement of the head while healing.

10-09-2008, 10:45 AM	#23
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Hi - Just one slight correction to Pattyz's post above. I FIRST had the Gamma Knife - 56 minutes beams aimed at the largest tumor and 20 min for the small tumor. Even the larger 3cm tumor was looking good (dying/shrinking) for the first year post treatment. At the one year scan is when it started to light up in the tumor bed. It was after that I had the open surgery to remove the tissue. The surgeon and my radiologists all said there was no good way to tell short of the excision what was going on in that radiated area. When I had my Gamma Knife, it was over 4 years ago, so in the meantime there are newer and different treatments. BUT, at the time I had Gamma Knife, there was a good study out that showed 90 or 91% success rate for Gamma Knife of HER2 metastatic brain tumors when they were 3 or less in number. I found that study and brought it up to my rad onc who actually knew one of the study leaders. In Joan's case I think she probably will not experience the difficulty I did since her surgery would be in the front area and a place where there is not so much movement of the head while healing. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.