Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/13/2008

Question
QUESTION: My dad has recently been diagnosed with a secondary brain tumour (a non small cell squamous carcinoma). We were told that there are 3 separate tumours, one the size of a grape and two the size of raisins. The only treatment he will be having is radiotherapy to help prolong life. I'm just very unsure of what to expect next???  And how long we will have him for???  Are we looking at years??  Months?? or even weeks??

ANSWER: I'm sorry to read about his - and your - problems! Unfortunately it is at present not possible to cure him. Radiation therapy can only prolong survival to some extent. Even so his survival time can probably be measured in months - at most around one year - unfortunately.
I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi thank you for the quick reply.  I am still a bit confused about what to expect, he always seems very tired and walks very slow.  How will this get worse?  Will he die suffering or will it be peaceful?

Answer
He will become more and more confused. He may show stroke like symptoms and signs and also get epileptic fits. He will sleep more and more, eventually drift into a coma and then pass away. There will be very little pain - if indeed any except maybe for head ache.