Brain Mets

[krisvell]

Rick,
I am very sorry to hear about your wife. Im going to share with you what I've learned in the last two months in the same journey that I am on. I found out I had a brain met on my brain stem 2.0cm; fairly large. My symptons were numb leg and then started seeing double vision. Since then, I've had two Gamma Knife treatments and have seen a 30% shrinkage in volume. So I am hopeful. I am feeling a little bit better everyday with some improvement in my vision.
With regard to systematic treatment, my oncolgist had 3 options;
1. wait and watch as they have not found cancer anywhere besides the one brain met.
2. Tykerb + Femara (already on)
3. Tykerb + Xeloda

She’s thinking #2 but wants to wait until I get a 2nd opinion.

Chrisy’s right Tykerb crosses the brain blood barrier. I’m not 100% sure but I think Xeloda does too.

I am going for a 2nd opinion on April 4th at Memorial Sloan Kettering (NY) and meeting with an Oncologist who deals a lot with brain mets. I sent an email to Musa at the brainmetssbc website and she gave me a few names. My oncologist helped me decide who to see.

2011 seems to be an epidemic of brain mets on this site... There's a lot of new posts. There's also a lot of ladies who are successfully dealing with this. (founder-Christine Druher,StephN Courtney L, Kavvy, Hutchibk (Brenda), Kiwigirl, Joan M, Virginia, Barbara H., Pam and others that I probably forgot about). They are all giving me hope and I hope they do for you and your wife.

A few things that were really a big help to me were:
- reading the Brain Mets threads on this site. I just did a search and learned a ton.
- http://www.brainmetsbc.org/ - Just dedicated to bc brain mets. Karla told me about this. That’s where I found Drs for a 2nd opinion. I send an email to Musa and she gave me two top docs in NY and Boston that were close to where I live. Although Chrisy mentioned Dr. Keith Black whos the rock star for Brain stuff.
- http://mbcnetwork.org/ - Metastatic Breast Cancer Network. Great resource.
Sending your wife and family hugs, prayers and love,
Kris......

[Elizabethtx]

My heart goes out to you and your family. I can not offer any brain met advice except research and don't give up. I am 47 and have a 13 year old, so am very close to your wife's situation. I know it must be a shock and can empathize with the fear and worry you must have. Certainly by three years out you must have been feeling very comfortable and then this happens. As you can see on this site many others are dealing with all kinds of metastasis and doing very well. You have come to the right place, you will receive lots of advice, care and support here! My prayers for peace for you.
Elizabeth

[joyce lutz]

My daughter is to receive LINAC (SRS) next month. She has several brain mets and they are zapping them in 2 separate sessions. She had WBR in June of 2010 but they didn't shrink all that much and there has been a bit of progression lately thus the SRS surgery. I'd advise getting 2nd opinions for future treatment and what to treat with as well. Best of luck to your wife.
Joyce

[Becky]

As far as true chemotherapies are concerned, Xeloda and Temodar cross the blood brain barrier.

Tykerb (a targeted Her2 therapy) does too but it is an immunotherapy.