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StephN · 01-12-2011, 03:42 PM

Dear kavy -
Glad you are persuing a radio-surgery of some kind rather than WBR. Don't let them scare you with that "Russian roulette" talk. This is breast cancer mets and are in treatable areas.

I had 2 brain area tumors. The largest was 3cm in my left cerebellum. I had Gamma Knife for both. They did talk to me about "splitting the baby" (having a surgeon remove that one and hitting the other small one with GK). They left final decision to me and I said Gamma them both. I did not care if they are trying to spread around the "work" - I just wanted it done and over.

I did need the steroid as the cerebellar tumor was causing inflammation which was impinging on a ventrical. (Yes, brains have ventricals as well as hearts.)

Let them treat ALL the tumors with whatever form of radiosurgery you can. The best thing about Gamma Knife is that it is all done in one day, with one treatment to each area. No going back day after day. I felt just fine the next day and was out driving and living normally.

SCAR TISSUE - YES, I have it. But it does not cause me any symptoms or side effects.

My surgeon actually called the cerebellum "a redundant part of the brain." It does serve some functions, but not the main ones that are in higher and deeper centers.

Praying that a good decision that you are comfortable with will appear. I have heard good things about Sinai from members here in the past.

01-12-2011, 03:42 PM	#17
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: Help! Brain mets besides lung mets Dear kavy - Glad you are persuing a radio-surgery of some kind rather than WBR. Don't let them scare you with that "Russian roulette" talk. This is breast cancer mets and are in treatable areas. I had 2 brain area tumors. The largest was 3cm in my left cerebellum. I had Gamma Knife for both. They did talk to me about "splitting the baby" (having a surgeon remove that one and hitting the other small one with GK). They left final decision to me and I said Gamma them both. I did not care if they are trying to spread around the "work" - I just wanted it done and over. I did need the steroid as the cerebellar tumor was causing inflammation which was impinging on a ventrical. (Yes, brains have ventricals as well as hearts.) Let them treat ALL the tumors with whatever form of radiosurgery you can. The best thing about Gamma Knife is that it is all done in one day, with one treatment to each area. No going back day after day. I felt just fine the next day and was out driving and living normally. SCAR TISSUE - YES, I have it. But it does not cause me any symptoms or side effects. My surgeon actually called the cerebellum "a redundant part of the brain." It does serve some functions, but not the main ones that are in higher and deeper centers. Praying that a good decision that you are comfortable with will appear. I have heard good things about Sinai from members here in the past. __________________ "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.