Grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma

bella · New User Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 3

My mother was recently diagnosed with a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma last month. She had her surgery and is currently undergoing chemo and radiation. She is taking temodar (oral). What kinds of symptoms can we expect? Any suggestions in making her feel the most comfortable?

brainman

Hi bella. I am very sorry about your mother's cancer. I too have had a glioma. Read my story (links in my signature block) for the specifics. I am a 15+ year survivor although it did recur in 2005.

You mother's symptoms are very hard to predict. A lot really depend on the size and specific location of the tumor. For example, if it is in the vision area or is large enough to put pressure on that area, she might have vision problems. But that is just an example since the brain controls everything, anything could happen.

Most of the people with whom I have talked who have taken temodar do very well. Do you know if the doctors did a genetics test on your mother? There is a specific set of genes that if they are deleted are more likely to have a favorable responce to chemotherapy. It is called the "1p/19q gene deletion". Your mother might want to ask her medical team about this.

I do hope that your mother does well with her chemotherapy. How any person reacts to the chemo really varies from one person to the next. Regardless of the side-effects, her medical team has a arsenal of medicines to help her cope. Just make sure she tells them about any side-effects.

Your mother is in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

bella · New User Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 3

Thank you Brainman
My mother has an appointment this week sometime with her neuro-oncologist. We will bring up the genetic testing. Do you know if this is something they will do if you ask?

brainman

I do not know the answer to that question. I seem to remember that it was a blood test and not something done on the biopsy sample. However, I might be wrong about that. If it is done with a blood sample, I imagine that you could ask the doctor to do it. Obviously, the doctor would be against doing another biopsy. It never hurts to ask.

In addition, your husband is already taking chemo so all that the test would tell is something about how good are his chances. The test is usually done before chemo starts to help the medical team decide whether chemo is worth undertaking in the first place. I have the gene deletion but did not know that in 1992-3 when I took chemotherapy (PCV). I was fortunate in that chemo worked very well (although it made me so sick that I wanted to die somedays). In 2005 when the cancer recurred, they already knew that surgery and radiation therapy would be needed. The only question was chemotherapy. I think they could have not done the gene test because of my good response to it in 1992. Nevertheless, it is good to know that I am not normal... but any of my friends could have told them that Laughing

.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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