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About 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. Licensed/certified physician and surgeon and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation therapy in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and the European Union. 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. Now in private practice in Stockholm, Sweden. I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer), General History, Military History, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer.

You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Cancer > Brain Tumors > diffuse astrocytoma, AVM, and pregnancy

Brain Tumors - diffuse astrocytoma, AVM, and pregnancy

Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 11/2/2009

Question
QUESTION: My 26yr old daughter was dx'd with a diffuse astrocytoma behind her right eye six months ago. Although they biopsied the tumor for diagnosis, the doctors said it is inoperable (due to location) and malignant, stage 2. My daughter also has AVM in the back right side of her brain and they also have opted not to treat this, they say it is low risk. She is now unexpectedly 12 weeks pregnant. I live 1500 miles away and will not be going there until spring unless needed before that. My question is twofold. One, how will her health issues be effected by pregnancy and childbirth? Two, since I will be walking in blind to this situation, what are the warning signs of something wrong from her brain issues during last stage of pregnancy?

ANSWER: How big is her tumor? Did you mean a GRADE 2 tumor (brain tumors do not usually have stages but they do have grades and grade is important for prognosis evaluation)? To be able to answer you I do need this information!

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

QUESTION: The tumor is 5-6cm and yes, it is a grade 2, not stage 2. The oncologist said it is slow growing (or was last May) yet he described it as malignant. He said that within a couple of years the tumor, based on size, would be treated, probably only one time however. My daughter and her husband have decided to not do any follow up MRIs while she is pregnant. The high risk OB-GYN is having their regular OB-GYN follow the pregnancy which seems strange to me. I am so far away I don't have very much information.

Answer
OK, so it is a grade 2, which IS a slowly growing tumor (grade 1 & 2 are more well behaved and grow slowly while grade 3 & 4 are bad and grow fast, worst is grade 4). However grade MAY change over time. Usually in a worse direction. I doubt that there will be any change during her pregnancy. Unfortunately her tumor is too big for nonsurgical radiological deletion therapy with the so called GammaKnife or with proton beams. Such treatment otherwise may be able to take care of even inoperable tumors. Please do keep me posted!

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