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Brain Tumors/Gamma knife

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Expert: - 2/2/2008


Question
my husband was dx with gbm IV  on 4/15/07.  he had a resection, followed by 6 wks chemo/radiation.  it recurred in nov.  followed by resection, more temodar.  it's recurred again 2/08.  the surgeon mentioned gamma knife.  how effective would it be at this point? what are the risks/side effects? specifically, how long could this prolong his life

Answer
I'm sorry to read about your problems! Well a GammaKnife can only destroy lesions that are not too big. With benign (non cancerous) lesions that upper size limit is around 4 cm (a little more than 1.5 inches). Malignant lesions must be smaller yet since due to the nature of the malignancy a wider margin to the normal tissues is necessary. So it all comes down to size here. How big is your husband's present lesion? The risks are small in trained competent hands but the experience ot treatment of GBM gr. IV tumors is still very limited so we are still on mainly unchartered territory here. Even so, if treatment is at all - due to tumor size - possible I do not see that he has much of a choice. He does not have anything to lose in this situation to put it bluntly. Good luck!

Brain Tumors

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Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D.

Expertise

I`m a doctor of medicine and specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have a long time experience of these tumours.

Experience

I'm a Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy, educated and trained in Sweden. Now retired. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps. You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128 . I have no restrictions on the number of questions there. I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer), General History, Military History, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer.

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Doctor of medicine, specialist in medical oncology & radiation therapy.

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