Metastatic Brain Tumors (Please Delete)

Zeak · Regular Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 13 Location: Sonora, CA

Not sure if this is the right forum but here goes:

My 74 yo father has two tumors in his brain (diagonsed two weeks ago) that has metastasized from his lung cancer. He decided to just go home and let nature take it's course (no surgery, chemo, radiation etc.) which I think is a good decision.

I'm just trying to find out what to expect as the tumors grow larger and start doing their damage. He has one that is egg size in the left size.

The first week went well. He's was on steroids and dilantin. Last week he started to get REAL agitated and the docs took him off the steroids and put him on anti-anxiety meds. So far, it's only worked alittle. Hospice has started to get involved and he has 24 hr care at home.

So what should I expect (I know everyone is different)? Now that he's off the steroids, I'm thinking the tumors will grow faster.

No one seems to be able to give me a time line either. Can anyone offer their experiences with this?

Thanks

brainman

Hi Zeak. I did move your topic to the Lung Cancer Forum... the site of your father's primary cancer. I am very sorry that he has cancer.

I am not sure what to tell you what to expect basically for two reason: 1. I do not know what his lung cancer status is and 2. the effect of the tumors in his brain will be different depending on their exact location.

In general (if the tumor in his brain was smaller), I would venture to say that he might die of lung complications before the tumors in his brain grew large enough to cause his death. You might expect to see his current mental status to just get progressively worse. The steroids to not slow down the growth of the cancer; steroid just help decrease the swelling of the brain itself and thus help to improve his quality of life.

My experience is with primary brain cancers. Hopefully, one of our members will be able to better reply to your concerns.

You and your father are in my thoughts and prayers.
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pjean · Regular Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 28 Location: minnesota

the steroids will keep swelling down and the dilantin will help (a little)with confusion.The brain is a pretty important organ the tumors will keep growing and maybe depending on where they are determains his symptoms but more than likely will cut some fluid off from getting to where it needs to go and could cause death,my husband has/had almost 20tumors on his brain and got some pockets of fluid from radiation and had to be surgicaly removed..twice.. its very hard to say what could happen,I hope he is not suffering or in pain..god bless

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