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brain mets question
Hi, this is my first time on the site. By way of background, I was 5 1/2 years out when mets showed up May 05. Had a bad cough and leg pain. Cat and Bone scan showed mets to lungs, liver and bone. Doc ordered a brain scan and 3 very small spots found. i am on weekly chemo of Taxol, Carboplatin and Herceptin with Zometa once a month. i have scans every 8 weeks. Everything has shrunk dramatically. the problem is that although the brain mets have also shrunk (surprisingly, to the doctors), a new 2mm spot has shown up as well as some questionable spots (per a second opinion). Now i have doctors split on whether i need whole brain radiation or stereotactic radiation. I have been pretty frightened of any radiation to the brain but seem to be realizing I will have to have some. The doctors seem to differ regarding the likelihood and severity of cognitive loss with whole brain radiation. Can someone out there give me feedback about the side effects of both types of radiation? Severity, longevity, etc. I am 43 years old and not having any other health problems. I have no physical symptoms from the mets. Thanks. Beth
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