Swelling from brain met
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Swelling from brain met

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Swelling from brain met

  • Post
    • December 19, 2016 at 9:04 pm
    Terrified
    Participant

    This has all happened so fast. Five weeks of hell from first diagnosis til now. Hubby BRAF positive started on MEK/taf after gamma knife to solitary brain met. LDH on starting 750. Two weeks of feeling like we were making progress.LDH down to 435, liver functions normal, bones pain decreasing. Then 1.5 weeks ago,LDH crept back up 512, but still moving well and less pain. This past week nausea and increasing fogginess. Now admitted with probable growth of brain met although no new ones, significant cerebral edema with slight midline shift. Started on steroids, with MRI tonite to see if can define growth of met versus scarring. CT scans to see if increase in liver lesions. If so, then has failed BRAF drugs in two weeks and will move on to PD1 plus probably stay on MEK on chance it may help. Too sick for any trials right now. 

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  • Replies
      • December 20, 2016 at 5:23 pm
      keepthefaith11
      Participant
      Please let us know what the scans showed. Could these latest developments be related to swelling or possible bleeding? It might not necessarily be because of growth of the tumor.

      Annie

        • December 20, 2016 at 6:43 pm
        Terrified
        Participant

         

        They really don't think it increased. Just swelling an bleeding. Some progression in tumor load in liver ( other scans not uploaded yet) but not dramatic increase. Although hard to tell given already substantial tumor load. Now almost 24 hours high dose steroids and still nauseated/vomiting and confused, though probably less confused by a bit. 

        Now the debate seems to be craniotomy gives quicker relief of nausea and confusion if from head. But if from liver ( LDH is 1000) though rest of liver functions are okay, it delays starting keytruda in addition to continuing BRAF. Could start keytruda but that will probably increase nausea unless it helps brain. 

        Oncologist and neurosurgeon are supposed to talk along with other neurosurgeon who did the SRS and come to a recommendation. I don't think I can do it if they just ask us to make a decision. I want him to live but I don't want his last days on earth to be fog of vomit and confusion

         

        Judy

         

        • December 20, 2016 at 7:23 pm
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        From what I understand it does not seem that disease progression has been rapid in the past couple of weeks. From what you have written it seems it is decently stable. Yes the LDH is higher but not crazy out there high. I think the confusion and symptoms he is experiencing now is from the swelling and bleeding. Maybe they have a point in taking that brain tumor out? Do they think he is physically up to it? What dosage of Prednisone is he on?
        • December 21, 2016 at 6:07 am
        Terrified
        Participant

        New mets in lung and bowel mesentery and new sub  Q nodule. Worry is that immunotherapy will increase swelling in brain and need to stop and give steroids again or swell bad enough to herniated.  Scheduled fo craniotomy to remove lesion. They do not think pulmonary disease prevents. 

        On decadron 10 mg IV every 6 hours.

        Judy

        • December 21, 2016 at 6:07 am
        Terrified
        Participant

        New mets in lung and bowel mesentery and new sub  Q nodule. Worry is that immunotherapy will increase swelling in brain and need to stop and give steroids again or swell bad enough to herniated.  Scheduled fo craniotomy to remove lesion. They do not think pulmonary disease prevents. 

        On decadron 10 mg IV every 6 hours.

        Judy

        • December 21, 2016 at 6:07 am
        Terrified
        Participant

        New mets in lung and bowel mesentery and new sub  Q nodule. Worry is that immunotherapy will increase swelling in brain and need to stop and give steroids again or swell bad enough to herniated.  Scheduled fo craniotomy to remove lesion. They do not think pulmonary disease prevents. 

        On decadron 10 mg IV every 6 hours.

        Judy

        • December 20, 2016 at 7:23 pm
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        From what I understand it does not seem that disease progression has been rapid in the past couple of weeks. From what you have written it seems it is decently stable. Yes the LDH is higher but not crazy out there high. I think the confusion and symptoms he is experiencing now is from the swelling and bleeding. Maybe they have a point in taking that brain tumor out? Do they think he is physically up to it? What dosage of Prednisone is he on?
        • December 20, 2016 at 7:23 pm
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        From what I understand it does not seem that disease progression has been rapid in the past couple of weeks. From what you have written it seems it is decently stable. Yes the LDH is higher but not crazy out there high. I think the confusion and symptoms he is experiencing now is from the swelling and bleeding. Maybe they have a point in taking that brain tumor out? Do they think he is physically up to it? What dosage of Prednisone is he on?
        • December 20, 2016 at 6:43 pm
        Terrified
        Participant

         

        They really don't think it increased. Just swelling an bleeding. Some progression in tumor load in liver ( other scans not uploaded yet) but not dramatic increase. Although hard to tell given already substantial tumor load. Now almost 24 hours high dose steroids and still nauseated/vomiting and confused, though probably less confused by a bit. 

        Now the debate seems to be craniotomy gives quicker relief of nausea and confusion if from head. But if from liver ( LDH is 1000) though rest of liver functions are okay, it delays starting keytruda in addition to continuing BRAF. Could start keytruda but that will probably increase nausea unless it helps brain. 

        Oncologist and neurosurgeon are supposed to talk along with other neurosurgeon who did the SRS and come to a recommendation. I don't think I can do it if they just ask us to make a decision. I want him to live but I don't want his last days on earth to be fog of vomit and confusion

         

        Judy

         

        • December 20, 2016 at 6:43 pm
        Terrified
        Participant

         

        They really don't think it increased. Just swelling an bleeding. Some progression in tumor load in liver ( other scans not uploaded yet) but not dramatic increase. Although hard to tell given already substantial tumor load. Now almost 24 hours high dose steroids and still nauseated/vomiting and confused, though probably less confused by a bit. 

        Now the debate seems to be craniotomy gives quicker relief of nausea and confusion if from head. But if from liver ( LDH is 1000) though rest of liver functions are okay, it delays starting keytruda in addition to continuing BRAF. Could start keytruda but that will probably increase nausea unless it helps brain. 

        Oncologist and neurosurgeon are supposed to talk along with other neurosurgeon who did the SRS and come to a recommendation. I don't think I can do it if they just ask us to make a decision. I want him to live but I don't want his last days on earth to be fog of vomit and confusion

         

        Judy

         

      • December 20, 2016 at 5:23 pm
      keepthefaith11
      Participant
      Please let us know what the scans showed. Could these latest developments be related to swelling or possible bleeding? It might not necessarily be because of growth of the tumor.

      Annie

      • December 20, 2016 at 5:23 pm
      keepthefaith11
      Participant
      Please let us know what the scans showed. Could these latest developments be related to swelling or possible bleeding? It might not necessarily be because of growth of the tumor.

      Annie

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