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SRS Treatment in the Same Spot?

Forums General Melanoma Community SRS Treatment in the Same Spot?

  • Post
    Maria C
    Participant

      Hi there – 

      Has anyone had an experience where their SRS treatment did not succesfully "zap" the brain met out? It appears I have had 3 out of 7 brain mets that did not enter death stages, and will soon be cyberknifed after first being gamma knifed months ago….

      Has anyone else experienced brain met radiation in the same spot…?

      The good news is that it was not 2 new brain mets (totaling 9), but 2 old ones that never "died" that have been showing up in my latest MRIs.

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        Patina
        Participant

          Have you made an appointment for a second opinion? I would, if I were you.

          My Mom did have one reoccurrence about 1 year ago.  The tumor had been treated previously by the first radiation oncologist she had.  He was subpar and I have discovered that it really pays to not only do a lot of research on the doctor but get a second opinion even after you have been treated.

          To give you an example, the radiation oncologist told us the day of the treatment he thought she had 9 brain mets, but determined that one was a blood vessel. 30 days later when a MRI was done the radiologist stated in the report that there was an untreated tumor and the radiation oncologist dismissed this. Turns out it was a tumor and my Mom ended up having 17 treated 4 months later. This time with a excellent doctor whom we were referred to after her first neuro-oncologist said she had a new tumor and we should wait and see what happens rather than treat it.

          She now sees a wonderful radiation oncologist and neuro-oncologist who are at USC in Los Angeles, Dr. Chang and Dr. Wagle. They were both the second specialists and the best she's had.  In the case of the reoccurrence Dr. Chang told us more than once that he does not treat reoccurrences because they are more likely to bleed and cause other issues. He recommended a craniotomy and she had one a year ago.

          She was due to start Keytruda 30 days or so later, but she ended up with another brain me. She was treated with gamma knife and then Keytruda followed about 3 weeks later. 

          Since then she's had Keytruda every 3 weeks.  Her scan in January showed 27 treated brain mets and the hole from the craniotomy. Her last MRI showed 1 brain met and the hole…  No evidence of 26 brain mets! Just the most recent treated brain met was seen. Kinda expecting that the will only see the hole next time…. 

          Even with no seizures you should be on Keppra 1000MG a day. They prescribe it twice a day, but my Mom was a zombie and had to go to taking it at night only. Make sure you are on it and talk to your doctor about the duration. My Mom was on it in total for about 10 months and she could not drive. – She never had a symptom from the brain mets, but her doctors kept her on it because of the treated mets.

          Good Luck!

          Patina
          Participant

            Have you made an appointment for a second opinion? I would, if I were you.

            My Mom did have one reoccurrence about 1 year ago.  The tumor had been treated previously by the first radiation oncologist she had.  He was subpar and I have discovered that it really pays to not only do a lot of research on the doctor but get a second opinion even after you have been treated.

            To give you an example, the radiation oncologist told us the day of the treatment he thought she had 9 brain mets, but determined that one was a blood vessel. 30 days later when a MRI was done the radiologist stated in the report that there was an untreated tumor and the radiation oncologist dismissed this. Turns out it was a tumor and my Mom ended up having 17 treated 4 months later. This time with a excellent doctor whom we were referred to after her first neuro-oncologist said she had a new tumor and we should wait and see what happens rather than treat it.

            She now sees a wonderful radiation oncologist and neuro-oncologist who are at USC in Los Angeles, Dr. Chang and Dr. Wagle. They were both the second specialists and the best she's had.  In the case of the reoccurrence Dr. Chang told us more than once that he does not treat reoccurrences because they are more likely to bleed and cause other issues. He recommended a craniotomy and she had one a year ago.

            She was due to start Keytruda 30 days or so later, but she ended up with another brain me. She was treated with gamma knife and then Keytruda followed about 3 weeks later. 

            Since then she's had Keytruda every 3 weeks.  Her scan in January showed 27 treated brain mets and the hole from the craniotomy. Her last MRI showed 1 brain met and the hole…  No evidence of 26 brain mets! Just the most recent treated brain met was seen. Kinda expecting that the will only see the hole next time…. 

            Even with no seizures you should be on Keppra 1000MG a day. They prescribe it twice a day, but my Mom was a zombie and had to go to taking it at night only. Make sure you are on it and talk to your doctor about the duration. My Mom was on it in total for about 10 months and she could not drive. – She never had a symptom from the brain mets, but her doctors kept her on it because of the treated mets.

            Good Luck!

            Patina
            Participant

              Have you made an appointment for a second opinion? I would, if I were you.

              My Mom did have one reoccurrence about 1 year ago.  The tumor had been treated previously by the first radiation oncologist she had.  He was subpar and I have discovered that it really pays to not only do a lot of research on the doctor but get a second opinion even after you have been treated.

              To give you an example, the radiation oncologist told us the day of the treatment he thought she had 9 brain mets, but determined that one was a blood vessel. 30 days later when a MRI was done the radiologist stated in the report that there was an untreated tumor and the radiation oncologist dismissed this. Turns out it was a tumor and my Mom ended up having 17 treated 4 months later. This time with a excellent doctor whom we were referred to after her first neuro-oncologist said she had a new tumor and we should wait and see what happens rather than treat it.

              She now sees a wonderful radiation oncologist and neuro-oncologist who are at USC in Los Angeles, Dr. Chang and Dr. Wagle. They were both the second specialists and the best she's had.  In the case of the reoccurrence Dr. Chang told us more than once that he does not treat reoccurrences because they are more likely to bleed and cause other issues. He recommended a craniotomy and she had one a year ago.

              She was due to start Keytruda 30 days or so later, but she ended up with another brain me. She was treated with gamma knife and then Keytruda followed about 3 weeks later. 

              Since then she's had Keytruda every 3 weeks.  Her scan in January showed 27 treated brain mets and the hole from the craniotomy. Her last MRI showed 1 brain met and the hole…  No evidence of 26 brain mets! Just the most recent treated brain met was seen. Kinda expecting that the will only see the hole next time…. 

              Even with no seizures you should be on Keppra 1000MG a day. They prescribe it twice a day, but my Mom was a zombie and had to go to taking it at night only. Make sure you are on it and talk to your doctor about the duration. My Mom was on it in total for about 10 months and she could not drive. – She never had a symptom from the brain mets, but her doctors kept her on it because of the treated mets.

              Good Luck!

          Viewing 2 reply threads
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