Brian mets and needed direction

I would like some good advice on where to go. I went to dr. black at cedar sinai, I consullted with the neurosugery clinic at UCSF. I had wbr per my radiation oncologist here. Dr. Black supported what the r.o. said (wbr) because I had multiple brain mets. But now, they are saying wait 6 more months! I would like a much more proactive program---not a wait and see. I have symptoms and tho the mets are receding---I feel like they have me in a holding pattern
I was under the impression that I would get stereotactic tx for mets that are left. I am so unsatsfied with this. So far I have sent in scans, pictures, letters, and I feel like a number still. I travelled all the way to l,a. right after surgery. Please help me if you can. Susan

[RhondaH]

I KNEW Esther goes to Dr. Black for her brain mets, unfortunately she just left for Paris...anyone else?

Rhonda

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...ighlight=black

[Lani]

The breast cancer clinic at UCSF works with its associated radiation oncologist who treats brain mets with gamma knife, Dr. Penny Sneed, I think. Stanford has both gamma knife and Cyberknife, I think. Don't know if you would do better to go through the Radiation Oncology or Neurosurgery clinic at Stanford. The inventor of the Cyberknife, Dr. Adler, was a member of the Stanford Neurosurgery faculty at the time I believe. I haven't checked the roster of their departments to see if he is still there , but they have a helpful department which refers patients to the right clinic. They have an 800 number I believe. Perhaps you could call them and have them ask the relevant Drs. academic secretaries/new patient intake nurses to ask them which way you should go.

I have heard gamma/Cyberknife works best when very few lesion(s) and small lesions.

Hope some of this helps.

[Emmay]

You might want to check the CyberKnife brain tumor discussion board: http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/default.aspx?f=1

The doctors who monitor the questions on that site are very helpful...tell them the size of your mets, how much they've shrunk, and ask them what they think. If your mets are receeding after WBR, your docs probably don't want to give you add'l radiation unless the mets stop shrinking and start growing (maybe WBR will be all that is needed). What will be very important is to watch the mets closely with MRIs, and if there is a reversal, look into CyberKnife, which is the most precise, least invasive form of stereotactic radiation therapy. You do need to catch the mets when they are relatively small for CyberKnife treatment.

[R.B.]

On wider risk management you might like to read "Smart Fats" A Scmidt which deals with fats and the brain.

Also on this site there are a number of posts on balancing the omega threes and sixes which you can access by clicking on serch above on the purple bar and entering the search terms.

In trials it was noted that the content of brain tumours compared with normal tissue were high in omega six and low in omega three, particularly with respect to the long chain fats AA DHA etc.

There are many trials which suggest that risk of several diseases including a range of cancers may be reduced by dietary factors.

The Greek diet posts provides a selction of links to the work of others to try and illustrate how intimately fats are bound into many body functions.

RB

I am looking for a clinic. I have consulted ucsc and dr. black. i was very disappointed. I am thinking of going to to the cleveland clinic or somewhere else where my relatives live nearby. The fat connection is nice but few of us can understand it. It can be a wild goose chase. The best thing would be for us to avoid vegetable oils and use more omega 3's/ We can get hung up on this and think it will cure us but once the cat is out of the bag---I rely on prayer for everything. It's way too big for me, or even the doctors. Please give your recommendations for clinics!

This is very important. If anyone has good advice, please let me know. I really need some direction. Susie