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Brain Mets – Options?
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Brain Mets – Options?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Brain Mets – Options?

  • Post
    • February 8, 2016 at 11:28 pm
    DZnDef
    Participant

      Hi everyone,

      Things are moving fast with my brother.  His scans show numerous mets everywhere (easier to list where they aren't) including his brain.  The largest one in his brain is 1.2cm.  He has no symptoms.  The report doesn't list a total count.  He is with Kaiser and they just booked him an appointment to meet with a radiologist Wednesday (two days from now).  He hasn't even met with an oncologist yet (was supposed to be Friday but pushed back to the 23rd).

      Anyway, I know individual radiologists have their own way of operating so I thought I would ask first here:  what are the radiology options for brain mets these days?  Pros and cons to each?  Personal experience?  Any and all guidance and information will be much appreciated.

      You guys are awesome!

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • February 9, 2016 at 1:26 am
        khubes
        Participant

          Hi Maggie,

           

          So sorry to hear about your brother.  May I ask which Kaiser location he is being treated at?  My husband (also stage IV w/ multiple brain mets) has Kaiser insurance and is being treated at the Sunset location in LA.  We have been very impressed with our doctors (oncologist, radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, etc.) and if he's at the same location, I have some recommendations.  

          To answer your question re: radiation oncology – my husband has had all 9 brain mets treated with SRS with little to no side effects, and a very good response.  The radiation treatment was very managable and quick for him and has had no long lasting neurological issues.  

          Please feel free to message me privately if you'd like to discuss further (especially if you're brother is being treated at the same Kaiser location!).  

          Best,

          Katie 

            • February 9, 2016 at 1:36 am
            DZnDef
            Participant

              Thanks for the response, Katie.  I'm glad your husband is doing so well.  My brother is at the Harbor City location as it is the closest to him but the Sunset location would not be a ridiculous drive.  Does Kaiser refer to other nearby locations?  I'll PM you.  Thanks again.

              • February 9, 2016 at 1:36 am
              DZnDef
              Participant

                Thanks for the response, Katie.  I'm glad your husband is doing so well.  My brother is at the Harbor City location as it is the closest to him but the Sunset location would not be a ridiculous drive.  Does Kaiser refer to other nearby locations?  I'll PM you.  Thanks again.

                • February 9, 2016 at 1:36 am
                DZnDef
                Participant

                  Thanks for the response, Katie.  I'm glad your husband is doing so well.  My brother is at the Harbor City location as it is the closest to him but the Sunset location would not be a ridiculous drive.  Does Kaiser refer to other nearby locations?  I'll PM you.  Thanks again.

                • February 9, 2016 at 1:26 am
                khubes
                Participant

                  Hi Maggie,

                   

                  So sorry to hear about your brother.  May I ask which Kaiser location he is being treated at?  My husband (also stage IV w/ multiple brain mets) has Kaiser insurance and is being treated at the Sunset location in LA.  We have been very impressed with our doctors (oncologist, radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, etc.) and if he's at the same location, I have some recommendations.  

                  To answer your question re: radiation oncology – my husband has had all 9 brain mets treated with SRS with little to no side effects, and a very good response.  The radiation treatment was very managable and quick for him and has had no long lasting neurological issues.  

                  Please feel free to message me privately if you'd like to discuss further (especially if you're brother is being treated at the same Kaiser location!).  

                  Best,

                  Katie 

                  • February 9, 2016 at 1:26 am
                  khubes
                  Participant

                    Hi Maggie,

                     

                    So sorry to hear about your brother.  May I ask which Kaiser location he is being treated at?  My husband (also stage IV w/ multiple brain mets) has Kaiser insurance and is being treated at the Sunset location in LA.  We have been very impressed with our doctors (oncologist, radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, etc.) and if he's at the same location, I have some recommendations.  

                    To answer your question re: radiation oncology – my husband has had all 9 brain mets treated with SRS with little to no side effects, and a very good response.  The radiation treatment was very managable and quick for him and has had no long lasting neurological issues.  

                    Please feel free to message me privately if you'd like to discuss further (especially if you're brother is being treated at the same Kaiser location!).  

                    Best,

                    Katie 

                    • February 9, 2016 at 6:03 pm
                    jamieth29
                    Participant
                      From what i learned in the past couple days….whole braid radiation is not the way to unless there is many many tumers. It can create bad cognitive issues. I have just met one radiation oncologist that suggested srs but wanted to wait 3-4 weeks to rescan me. Waiting is not the way to go so push for quick treatment. I am starting nivo tomorrow then going to have another mri thursday and possible srs monday. Just the way my experience is going so far.
                        • February 9, 2016 at 6:35 pm
                        DZnDef
                        Participant

                          Thank you, Jamie, this is helpful.  My brother seems to want to wait a few weeks for another scan to gauge growth as he has no symptoms and there were indications that these might be "old" (???).  As this was his first MRI ever there is just nothing to compare them to.  He had a blockage in his liver which is what sent him to the emergency room.  That's been cleared and he feels better so now he wants to carefully weigh his options rather than rush into something.  He might feel differently if he had mental symptoms but he doesn't so that's that.  I'm trying to get him to read up on this but he isn't interested at the moment.  I of course told him that the treatments today are so promising but he seems to have taken it to mean he has nothing to worry about.  Either that or he is unusually pragmatic about death (he told me he figures his "natural expiration date" is age 56 and he's now just curious to see what, if anything, modern medicine can do about that).

                          Good luck on your Nivo treatments.  I look forward to you posting on your progress.

                          Cheers,

                          Maggie

                          • February 9, 2016 at 6:35 pm
                          DZnDef
                          Participant

                            Thank you, Jamie, this is helpful.  My brother seems to want to wait a few weeks for another scan to gauge growth as he has no symptoms and there were indications that these might be "old" (???).  As this was his first MRI ever there is just nothing to compare them to.  He had a blockage in his liver which is what sent him to the emergency room.  That's been cleared and he feels better so now he wants to carefully weigh his options rather than rush into something.  He might feel differently if he had mental symptoms but he doesn't so that's that.  I'm trying to get him to read up on this but he isn't interested at the moment.  I of course told him that the treatments today are so promising but he seems to have taken it to mean he has nothing to worry about.  Either that or he is unusually pragmatic about death (he told me he figures his "natural expiration date" is age 56 and he's now just curious to see what, if anything, modern medicine can do about that).

                            Good luck on your Nivo treatments.  I look forward to you posting on your progress.

                            Cheers,

                            Maggie

                            • February 9, 2016 at 6:35 pm
                            DZnDef
                            Participant

                              Thank you, Jamie, this is helpful.  My brother seems to want to wait a few weeks for another scan to gauge growth as he has no symptoms and there were indications that these might be "old" (???).  As this was his first MRI ever there is just nothing to compare them to.  He had a blockage in his liver which is what sent him to the emergency room.  That's been cleared and he feels better so now he wants to carefully weigh his options rather than rush into something.  He might feel differently if he had mental symptoms but he doesn't so that's that.  I'm trying to get him to read up on this but he isn't interested at the moment.  I of course told him that the treatments today are so promising but he seems to have taken it to mean he has nothing to worry about.  Either that or he is unusually pragmatic about death (he told me he figures his "natural expiration date" is age 56 and he's now just curious to see what, if anything, modern medicine can do about that).

                              Good luck on your Nivo treatments.  I look forward to you posting on your progress.

                              Cheers,

                              Maggie

                            • February 9, 2016 at 6:03 pm
                            jamieth29
                            Participant
                              From what i learned in the past couple days….whole braid radiation is not the way to unless there is many many tumers. It can create bad cognitive issues. I have just met one radiation oncologist that suggested srs but wanted to wait 3-4 weeks to rescan me. Waiting is not the way to go so push for quick treatment. I am starting nivo tomorrow then going to have another mri thursday and possible srs monday. Just the way my experience is going so far.
                              • February 9, 2016 at 6:03 pm
                              jamieth29
                              Participant
                                From what i learned in the past couple days….whole braid radiation is not the way to unless there is many many tumers. It can create bad cognitive issues. I have just met one radiation oncologist that suggested srs but wanted to wait 3-4 weeks to rescan me. Waiting is not the way to go so push for quick treatment. I am starting nivo tomorrow then going to have another mri thursday and possible srs monday. Just the way my experience is going so far.
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