The beast is back!! - 2 brain tumors found,

[bobmc]

Hi all,

First thanks for all the thoughts and prayers, and we truely never know what Gods blessing are. Two small lesions were found on my brain. I got the news a little while ago and am going through that terrible job of letting the family know.

No other cancer was found so I think thats the good news. I have an appointment on Weds with a radiology oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering and an appointment with my oncologist on Tues. Looks like whole brain radiation to start but will know more next week.

Anyway, just wanted to say THANKS for being there!!

God bless and be well

Bobmc- NSCLC- stage IIB- left pneumonectomy -5/2/01

MRI's taken 12/18- 2 brain lesions found

" absolutely insist on enjoying life today!"

[dadstimeon]

Hi Bob,

Sorry to hear about that. Stay positive and focused. Praying for you. Peace, take care and God Bless.

Rich

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[niececola]

Hi Bob,

Sorry about this latest news, but I know you will get yourself sorted and get rid of those nasty lesions soon! We are praying for you, stay strong!

Denise

[Rick]

Just a little bump in the road for you. You are strong and can overcome this small set back...

[luvmydog2]

Bob,

So sorry to hear the news. I too had a left pneumonectomy. I am glad that you did good for 2 1/2 years. From what I understand brain mets are cureable. Take care and God Bless my friend.

Bruce

[Ry]

Oh Bob, this just sucks, I am so sorry. I just hate that you have to go through this. Please know how much we all care about you, you have been so helpful and wonderful to everyone here. Sending you postiive thoughts and good wishes.

Rochelle

[Fay A.]

I'm sorry, Bob, but I know that you will deal with the brain mets with the same courage and good attitude that you have shown all along. One of the things that I've decided on is the use of Intrathecal Chemotherapy in lieu of whole brain radiation, if my brain tumor turns out NOT to be benign. I just wondered if anyone else was considering this. What ever you decide you have my best wishes coming your way.

[Guest DaveG]

Bob:

CRAP

One thing I can say about you is that you are a golfer. Golfer's look for the fewest strokes and take the best possible shots to get there. As you know, you are not alone. I am planning to somehow or other find a away that we can get some games together this next summer. One good thing - it's winter and nows the best time for us to tune ourselves up and get this business over with so it won't interfere with our golf.

[DeanCarl]

Bob,

Oh man am I sorry to hear this! Sometimes it seems like it's one step forward and two steps back. "Hang in there" is about all I can say. I'll be praying for you.

Dean

[Nancy O.]

Hey Bob, sorry to hear about the brain mets. From what I've read on this board, you can survive this one okay. My thoughts are with you. Go get the beast.

[Hebbie]

Bob,

Well, this S cks!

Just keep repeating the following: This is TREATABLE AND BEATABLE!

Until then, you are in my thoughts and prayers,

Heather

[kimblanchard]

Bob

I am so sorry that you got this news, it stinks. But you will beat this too, hang in there and stay positive, just another little detour in this treacherous journey. Prayers going out for you

Bess B

[JudyB]

Well, damn, Bob,

At least this is very beatable. And even if it weren't, you'd be the one to beat it! *Remember, only the good die young.*

I hope you will also be given chemo to eradicate any more of the damn cells that may be traveling around your body hoping for an amenable site to invade.

Just one more step in your journey!

JudyB

[john]

Bob,

Don't know what to say. I am praying for a full recovery. Anyway, the drug called TEMODAL (temozolomide), an oral cytotoxic, alkylating agent, is the lead compound in a new class of compounds known as imidazotetrazines. It is being pushed for approval in Europe so I think

it does work fairly well

Melatonin is also being investigated in phase II trials for brain mets.

Their paitient survived more than 2 years with the therapy below,

" ....

Recombinant proteins, including HGH, GM-CSF, beta interferon, and IL-2, are sufficiently new to the arsenal of the oncologists, and the clinical efficacy of combination treatments is relatively unexplored. In a single protracted case history we observe several combinations which appear to cause not only an objective anticancer effect but a treatment tolerable by quality of life standards. In this case we maintained a regimen of oral BRM's essentially unchanged throughout treatment, and CEA variations were caused at the margin by recombinant protein injections.

[LindaMRG]

Okay, the good news is the cancer isnt anywhere else. The second good news is what I was told when I came to this board devastated once again when they found the brain mets on my dad. What I was told was that they are VERY treatable and beatable. My father will have his last WBR treatment on Monday. He did not get the headaches, blurred vision, etc that they said might happen. He had 3 - 1 is 1.2 cm and the other two were very small. They said WBR will probably get rid of the two small ones. If the other one remains they will do stereotactic radiosurgery which will pinpoint that remaining one and zap it outta there!

I received many emails from this board and another one Im on for lung cancer from people who went through the treatment and are here today to tell about it.

Is this why you had the back and shoulder pain?

Yes, disappointing, but doable. You hang in there, friend, and keep us posted. Youre still in my prayers!

[chloesmom]

Bob,

So sorry to hear that news, but at least it was caught while they were small, and like all these other people are saying, brain mets are BEATABLE!!!! Please try to keep your great attitude and get the treatment you need so that in the spring you're ready to tee them up!

[Don Wood]

Hang in there, Bob! Have a great Christmas, you and your family. Don

[MO_Sugar]

Prayers and good wishes coming your way. I do hope you and yours have a most Blessed Christmas!

You can and will beat this!

God Bles,

MO

[karen335]

Bob,

I am so sorry to hear this news. I really don't know what to say. You are so supportive and inspiring to all of us.. Keep the faith and hang in there. We are all in your corner and prayers are being said for you for a speedy recovery...

God Bless

Karen

[Debi]

Damn it Bob!!!

I didn't want to hear this..I didn't want you to have this.....

You need to get crackin and get rid of those lesions as soon as you can. You are a survivor Bob...I know you'll get through this one step at a time......and you know you have a large support group here to help you.

[bluebayou]

DAMN IT BOB....THIS IS NOT/NOT SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN. YOU ARE OUR SOURCE OF HOPE, OUR BEACON OF LIGHT!! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO NOT/NOT GOING HAVE TO MOVE FROM STAGE WHATEVER TO WHATEVER..DAMN IT BOB

I'm furious that this has happened to you. I have just finished 10 sessions of whole brain radiation and will undergo radiotactic surgery on Monday which will put an end to my treatment of 2 small lesions to the brain that they found (as in your case)

If you have an questions, no matter how trivial, please feel me to query me..

God Bless Us All...and most especially Bob and his lovely family..

Francine

[SandyS]

Bob -

YOU are not a victim - YOU are a VICTOR!

Do what you gotta do, get thru this bump and I'll be cheering for you to beat Dave at a round of golf! (Sorry Dave - love ya!)

Prayers of support and strength for you and your family,

Hugs,

SandyS

[Tiny]

Ugggghhhhhh!!!! What rotten news, but glad you caught it soon and know that you will be right on it with the very best possible attitude. I'm prayin' for ya', Bob!

[kimblanchard]

Bob,

Eight weeks after the l. pneumonectomy in '99, an ongoing seizure sent me to the ER, where a l. parietal lobe lesion was found by CT.

It was removed by craniotomy 36 hours later. The NeuroSurgeon said the tumor was generally hemorrhagic, and partially necrotic. He attributed this to the Carbo/Taxol given to reduce the primary lung tumor 2-3 months prior.

He said blood-brain barrier permeability varied with the individual, as well as the size of the carrier molecules, so apparently sometimes *some* chemo does indeed impact a brain met.

He said he had gotten the tumor, plus a surrounding margin. He advised a course of targeted rads to the tumor surgery site only, increasing the diameter of the cancer-free margin by a few mm. The RadOnc said WBR, but we agreed with the Surgeon. That was Jan-April 2000.

Years later, subsequent Rad Oncs said that Rad scenario was very progressive/cutting-edge for that time, but much more common now. Mortality for the scenario described is a *few* percentage points better than WBR, but healthy tissue is spared, total rad absorption is less, and the cognitive sequelae of WBR is avoided.

If I were you tonight, I'd opt for IMRT, IF I had just been turned down by 2 separate NeuroSurgeons for surgical resection. I'd also have radiosensitizing chemo given concurrently. (When appropriate, the surgically placed chemo-wafer Fay mentioned delivers the chemo directly upon the tumor and/or the tumor bed site.)

Dr. Gil Leiderman pioneered the targeted stereotactic radiosurgical approaches to dealing with brain tumors, and he's VERY near you. Last I heard, he had treated as many as 12-15 brain mets in one person

My primary advice to you is to become VERY familiar with ALL the options other than WBR, before making a decision.

[Snowflake]

Bob,

Allow me to be the first to say HOLY shi_, what the HELL is going on around here lately??? I take a week off and all hell breaks loose!

You will beat this and be back-packing in some tropical steam bath in no time.

Shoulda wrote that letter to Santa..

But seriously, my thoughts are with you. I wish you all the best.

Becky

xxoo