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Posted on 09/05/2001 1:03:09 PM PDT by MrConfettiMan

Hi, everybody. I went to see my family doctor (who happens to be an oncology expert) this morning to discuss the results of the pathology report on the tumor removed from my brain two weeks ago (see the earlier threads linked below). Unfortunately, he didn't have the final, written pathology report in his hands as it was still being reviewed by a world-class doctor (who looks at brain tumors all day) at Johns Hopkins.

He did tell us what he expected to be in the final report. He said it was likely to be designated as a grade 2 - astrocytoma by the final pathology report. This is considered a low grade, malignant tumor (there are four grades in all...the higher the number...the more malignant). As previously mentioned in an earlier thread, their recommendation would be that I follow-up with radiation therapy.

The doctor said there are 3 items he wants to attend to during the next three weeks. 1) He wants to read the final pathology report. 2) He wants to present my case to the Hopkins Neuro-Oncology Conference for feedback. He teaches at Hopkins and I got the feeling this conference was held on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. 3) He wants me to meet with a radiation therapist in the next week or two. After we get these items out of the way, we're going to get back together and discuss treatment options. He told us there was no danger in waiting a few weeks to make some decisions as the tumor was very slow growing.

My friends, while this is certainly not the greatest news possible, I truly felt relief after leaving the doctor's office. The report could've been much, much worse. The results of the full-body (chest, abdomen, pelvis) CT scan showed no cancer anywhere else in my body. I'm going back to work on Monday (three weeks after having the first symptoms show up and two and a half weeks after brain surgery!) and will be taking it one day at a time. I remain extremely positive and upbeat. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. With hope, I can begin to put all this behind me (well, as "behind me" as one can) by Thanksgiving.

Answers to some questions we asked the doctor:

What does the full-body CT scan miss?
Little to nothing.

What are the chances of this tumor coming back?
50/50 (I wasn't too happy about this answer. :)

How often will I need to be rechecked?
CT or MRI scan - at least once a year. Office visits for blood work - 3 to 4 times a year.

Will the radiation therapy cause other types of cancer?
No.

Will the radiation therapy make me sterile?
No. (Hey, we don't have any kids yet!)

How likely is the tumor to come back at a higher grade of malignancy?
Very unlikely.

What are some of the side effects of radiation therapy?
Hair loss, reduced energy levels, nausea

What are the chances of this spreading to other areas of the body?
Very unlikely.

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