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Old 11-25-2015, 02:38 PM   #1
agness
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 285
Post For Reference: Symptoms of brain mets

Here are a few links that might be helpful in being able to understand symptoms of brain mets. Feel free to add any other references you might have.

Cancer: Four symptoms that could suggest brain metastasis
http://www.cityofhope.org/blog/cance...ain-metastasis

Talking about Symptoms | BrainMetsBC.org
http://www.brainmetsbc.org/en/conten...about-symptoms


Here's s link that discusses the types of neurological testing we undergo with brain mets. You can do some of these in front of a mirror to see how your facial muscle control is, the balance ones can also be done at home. Some of the tests are best done with another person such as touch your nose then touch the moving finger.

http://www.abta.org/brain-tumor-info...ical-exam.html
__________________
  • Dx 2/14 3b HER2+/HR- left breast, left axilla, internal mammary node (behind breast bone). Neoadjuvant TCHP 3/14-7/2. PCR 8/14 LX and SND. 10/21-12/9 Proton therapy to chest wall.
  • Dx 7/20/15 cerebellar met 3.5x5cm HER2+/HR-/GATA3+ 7/23/15 Craniotomy.
  • 7/29/15 bone scan clear. 8/3/15 PET clean scan. LINAC SRS (5 fractions) Sept 2015. 9/17/15 CSF NED, 9/24/15 CSF NED, 11/2/15 CSF NED.
  • 10/27/15 atypical uptake in right cerebellum - inflammation?
  • 12/1/15 Leptomeningeal dx. Starting IT Herceptin.
  • 1/16 - 16 fractions of tomotherapy to cerebellum, break of IT Herceptin during rads, resume at 100 mg weekly
  • 3/2016 - stable scan
  • 5/2016 stable scan
  • 7/2016 pseudoprogression?
  • 9/2016 more LM, start new chemo protocol and IV therapy treatment with HBOT
  • 11/2016 Cyberknife to temporal lobe, HBOT just prior
  • 12/2016 - lesions starting to show shrinkage
  • 8/2017 - Stable since Dec 2016. Temporal lobe lesion gone.
  • Using TCM, naturopathic oncology, physical therapy, chiro, massage, medical qigong, and energetic healing modalities in tandem. Stops at nothing.
  • Mother of 2 boys - ages 7 and 10 (8/2017) and a lovely partner with lots to live for.
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Old 11-25-2015, 03:42 PM   #2
agness
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 285
Re: For Reference: Symptoms of brain mets

Cerebellar Tumor Symptoms

These are the soft symptoms I experienced with my cerebellar tumor. They are listed in increasing complexity in case it helps:

- Dizziness (vestibular issue)
- Loss of balance (ataxia)
- Increased pain upon waking, took a while to get used to sitting upright (got progressively worse, caused by cerebral edema)
- Sore neck and shoulder where I never injured them before (pressure on occipital nerve)
- Inability to carry a purse
- Symptoms of occipital and trigeminal neuralgia
- driving pain sensations on right side of head and face
- difficulty walking
- need to keep head in straight, neutral position, started wearing neck brace
- inability to sleep flat on back
- head spins when laying down
- needing to use ice pack on back of head to control pain
- increasing symptoms of pain and nausea
- uncontrollable nausea
- inability to self-care
- loss of appetite
__________________
  • Dx 2/14 3b HER2+/HR- left breast, left axilla, internal mammary node (behind breast bone). Neoadjuvant TCHP 3/14-7/2. PCR 8/14 LX and SND. 10/21-12/9 Proton therapy to chest wall.
  • Dx 7/20/15 cerebellar met 3.5x5cm HER2+/HR-/GATA3+ 7/23/15 Craniotomy.
  • 7/29/15 bone scan clear. 8/3/15 PET clean scan. LINAC SRS (5 fractions) Sept 2015. 9/17/15 CSF NED, 9/24/15 CSF NED, 11/2/15 CSF NED.
  • 10/27/15 atypical uptake in right cerebellum - inflammation?
  • 12/1/15 Leptomeningeal dx. Starting IT Herceptin.
  • 1/16 - 16 fractions of tomotherapy to cerebellum, break of IT Herceptin during rads, resume at 100 mg weekly
  • 3/2016 - stable scan
  • 5/2016 stable scan
  • 7/2016 pseudoprogression?
  • 9/2016 more LM, start new chemo protocol and IV therapy treatment with HBOT
  • 11/2016 Cyberknife to temporal lobe, HBOT just prior
  • 12/2016 - lesions starting to show shrinkage
  • 8/2017 - Stable since Dec 2016. Temporal lobe lesion gone.
  • Using TCM, naturopathic oncology, physical therapy, chiro, massage, medical qigong, and energetic healing modalities in tandem. Stops at nothing.
  • Mother of 2 boys - ages 7 and 10 (8/2017) and a lovely partner with lots to live for.

Last edited by agness; 11-25-2015 at 04:17 PM.. Reason: Typo
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Old 11-25-2015, 06:42 PM   #3
agness
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 285
Re: For Reference: Symptoms of brain mets

Copying this over from the brain mets research thread


Medscape: Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis
http://emedicine.medscape.com/articl...38-clinical#b1

"Meningeal symptoms are the first manifestations in some patients; however, most patients already have widespread and progressive cancer with few therapeutic options left."

It looks like there are three main pathways of symptom progression:

"Involvement of the CNS is divided into the following 3 broad anatomical groups:

Cerebral involvement results in headache, lethargy, papilledema, behavior changes, and gait disturbance (the latter can be due to either cerebellar or cauda equina involvement). Major dysfunction, such as hemiparesis and hemisensory loss or visual field defects, is rare and more indicative of parenchymal metastasis.

Cranial-nerve involvement presents with impaired vision, diplopia (most common), hearing loss, and sensory deficits, including vertigo. Palsies of cranial nerves III, V, and VI are most common; palsy of nerve VII is less common. Solid tumor-derived LC has a higher affinity for the optic and extraocular nerves, while leukemic meningitis preferentially affects the facial nerve. Involvement of multiple cranial nerves is the rule rather than the exception.

Spinal-root involvement is caused by either meningeal irritation, presenting with nuchal rigidity (15%) and neck and back pain (rare), or invasion of the spinal roots. The latter can cause leg weakness, radiculopathy (usually lumbar, mimicking a herniated disk), reflex asymmetry or loss (most common, noted in 70% of patients), sphincter incontinence (less common), positive Babinski reflexes, paresthesias, and numbness. Asymptomatic bladder enlargement can occur from spinal cord compression. Spinal-root symptoms are usually followed by cranial-nerve symptoms. Nuchal rigidity, positive results on the straight-leg raising test, and decreased rectal tone are rare."
__________________
  • Dx 2/14 3b HER2+/HR- left breast, left axilla, internal mammary node (behind breast bone). Neoadjuvant TCHP 3/14-7/2. PCR 8/14 LX and SND. 10/21-12/9 Proton therapy to chest wall.
  • Dx 7/20/15 cerebellar met 3.5x5cm HER2+/HR-/GATA3+ 7/23/15 Craniotomy.
  • 7/29/15 bone scan clear. 8/3/15 PET clean scan. LINAC SRS (5 fractions) Sept 2015. 9/17/15 CSF NED, 9/24/15 CSF NED, 11/2/15 CSF NED.
  • 10/27/15 atypical uptake in right cerebellum - inflammation?
  • 12/1/15 Leptomeningeal dx. Starting IT Herceptin.
  • 1/16 - 16 fractions of tomotherapy to cerebellum, break of IT Herceptin during rads, resume at 100 mg weekly
  • 3/2016 - stable scan
  • 5/2016 stable scan
  • 7/2016 pseudoprogression?
  • 9/2016 more LM, start new chemo protocol and IV therapy treatment with HBOT
  • 11/2016 Cyberknife to temporal lobe, HBOT just prior
  • 12/2016 - lesions starting to show shrinkage
  • 8/2017 - Stable since Dec 2016. Temporal lobe lesion gone.
  • Using TCM, naturopathic oncology, physical therapy, chiro, massage, medical qigong, and energetic healing modalities in tandem. Stops at nothing.
  • Mother of 2 boys - ages 7 and 10 (8/2017) and a lovely partner with lots to live for.
agness is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-28-2015, 12:59 PM   #4
agness
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 285
Re: For Reference: Symptoms of brain mets

Brain Tumor Symptoms
http://www.milesforhope.org/index.ph...tumor-symptoms

"Do not be hesitant to share your concerns of having a brain tumor. This way your doctor can address your concerns early on and explain what he or she suspects is the cause of your symptoms and why."
__________________
  • Dx 2/14 3b HER2+/HR- left breast, left axilla, internal mammary node (behind breast bone). Neoadjuvant TCHP 3/14-7/2. PCR 8/14 LX and SND. 10/21-12/9 Proton therapy to chest wall.
  • Dx 7/20/15 cerebellar met 3.5x5cm HER2+/HR-/GATA3+ 7/23/15 Craniotomy.
  • 7/29/15 bone scan clear. 8/3/15 PET clean scan. LINAC SRS (5 fractions) Sept 2015. 9/17/15 CSF NED, 9/24/15 CSF NED, 11/2/15 CSF NED.
  • 10/27/15 atypical uptake in right cerebellum - inflammation?
  • 12/1/15 Leptomeningeal dx. Starting IT Herceptin.
  • 1/16 - 16 fractions of tomotherapy to cerebellum, break of IT Herceptin during rads, resume at 100 mg weekly
  • 3/2016 - stable scan
  • 5/2016 stable scan
  • 7/2016 pseudoprogression?
  • 9/2016 more LM, start new chemo protocol and IV therapy treatment with HBOT
  • 11/2016 Cyberknife to temporal lobe, HBOT just prior
  • 12/2016 - lesions starting to show shrinkage
  • 8/2017 - Stable since Dec 2016. Temporal lobe lesion gone.
  • Using TCM, naturopathic oncology, physical therapy, chiro, massage, medical qigong, and energetic healing modalities in tandem. Stops at nothing.
  • Mother of 2 boys - ages 7 and 10 (8/2017) and a lovely partner with lots to live for.
agness is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2015, 12:18 PM   #5
Joan M
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
Re: For Reference: Symptoms of brain mets

I never had any symptoms with the 2.6 cm lesion in the left frontal lobe. The tumor was found incidentally on a second, annual routine scan ... which I had convinced my oncologist to start doing annually. HER2+ has a greater probability to spread to the brain.

I remember her phone call in 2008: We both kept saying, I don't believe this. I don't believe this. Of course it was true, but I think we were shocked that a met actually showed up.
__________________
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 2021 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
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Old 02-08-2016, 06:48 PM   #6
agness
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Re: For Reference: Symptoms of brain mets

Bumping this up
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