Still hanging in there...but confused

wendyrol · New User Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 4

So confused. Back in July 08 my 81 year old mother had sx at Columbia Presbyterian for grade lV glioblastoma. Most of it removed. She was was given three - four months to live. She insisted on going to Sloan Kettering where she is currently under treatment with Avastin. She has been doing well, going for MRI's every two months with them usually being "stable". The neuro-oncologist is always shocked by how well she was doing every time she came in for her treatment of Avastin. Between her previous Mri in July and the most recent one this September she has begun to demonstrate short term memory loss, and a worsening of her orginal symptoms of word recall and naming of things. I was shocked when the report of the mri came back as stable. Fortunately, I work for a group of radiologists, one of whom is a neuro-radiologist. I showed him a copy of her last mri and said there is definitely change when compared to the July study. The mri is definitely not stable he stated. I knew that there had to be a change. When I presented this information to my mother's treating neuro-oncologist who did notice a cognitive decline when she just went in for her latest Avastin treatment, he stated that the MRI looked good, could be slightly a little worse and, tumor doesn't demonstrate regrowth. My question is or concern is as follows: Just because the original site of tumor doesn't show regrowth, what about the infiltrating cancer cells that eventually cause the patient's decline and eventual death. Columbia Pres. seemed to be doom and gloom and Sloan seems to be "cocker shells and puppy dogs tales " Another question is now that her cognitive function is in decline and the mri does appear to show "infilration" how quickly does this monster grow and cause death.
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wendy

brainman

Hi Wendy. I really do not know how to start this reply. One one hand, I want to say how sorry I am that your mother has a GBMIV. On the other hand, it is wonderful that she has done so well! Still on a third hand, it is terrible that the cancer seems to be causing additional problems... quite a roller coaster ride for you and your mother! It is hard to say what will happen now because your mother has already done so much better than expected. All I can say to you is to enjoy the time you still have with her.

I will be thinking about and praying for you and your mother.
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Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54

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