Just needed to post - My son who is four now (diagnosised at age 3) has an inoperable pilocyctic astrocytoma brainstem tumor - it was classified as a malignant tumor due to its abnormal rate of growth and its adherent nature to the brainstem from cranial nerves 2-12.
From the first carniotomy they removed the tumor in three parts do to how big it was - 1.1x0.4x0.3 cm - 1.2x0.4x0.2 cm - 5x6x0.8 cm. In all the size of a large apple. In the second carniotomy due to its regrowth again (only in 3 months from the first surgery) they were able to remove another cm of growth. They still left behind a large portion of the tumor that can't be surgically removed due to its attachment to the brainstem.
The following two mri's after the second surgery the tumor kept growing. My husband and I were advised chemo only had a 15% chance of working and radiation at his age would only guarantee us 2 years and should only be administrated as a last resort.
We got desperate and while waiting for the third mri after his second surgery we started hyperbaric oxygen therapy at our own expense. We found out about it at the Florida Brain tumor conference in january 2010. Once given the tumor did not show no growth at the third mri or the forth mri.
This brings us to the present. The tumor has not changed since the last 9 months since starting hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It has stabilized. My son has had 71 oxygen treatments so far and now even our insurance company is footing the bill due to what has happened. He will continue with the hyperbaric oxygen therapy tell the tumor board thinks other intervention is necessory.
He still has the tumor - however it has stabilized - no growth. Everyone of our specialist can't believe it. This is no way a cure - however it has helped in the process of getting our son to an age were other intervention can remove this tumor. We have been blessed - maybe it can help someone else as a complementary therapy with traditional methods.
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