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Joan M · 11-19-2008, 09:40 PM

Hi,

I recently had surgery to remove one brain met and will follow up with radiation in a few weeks. Since you had only one met you might want to ask about stereotatic radiotherapy (SRT) to treat just the area where the met was. You would have fewer long- and short-term side effects than you would with wbr.

Also, just because you've had one brain met, there's no guarantee there will be others (even though doctors frequently tell patients that since it's a met in the brain, there will be more in the brain). And SRT can be used to treat several mets, as well, either at the same time or if others pop up.

There are different kinds of treatments. Steph mentioned the Gamma Knife. There's also the Cyber Knife (these are both brand names). I'll be having SRT with a different kind of machine.

Joan

11-19-2008, 09:40 PM	#5
Joan M Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,851	Hi, I recently had surgery to remove one brain met and will follow up with radiation in a few weeks. Since you had only one met you might want to ask about stereotatic radiotherapy (SRT) to treat just the area where the met was. You would have fewer long- and short-term side effects than you would with wbr. Also, just because you've had one brain met, there's no guarantee there will be others (even though doctors frequently tell patients that since it's a met in the brain, there will be more in the brain). And SRT can be used to treat several mets, as well, either at the same time or if others pop up. There are different kinds of treatments. Steph mentioned the Gamma Knife. There's also the Cyber Knife (these are both brand names). I'll be having SRT with a different kind of machine. Joan __________________ Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!