Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 11/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: dear Doctor,

6 months later my daughter has been diagnose with brainstem glioma
she have only double vision.
an receive 31 sessions of radiotherapy.
after 4 months and after taking decadron for 2 months
her situation deteriorate and after more investigation the final
diagnose was brainstem tuberculoma.

can receiving radiotherapy on brainstem tuberculoma cause
her deterioration ??

can radiotherapy and decadron for 2 months show NO improvement
at all so they more investigate and the final diagnose was tuberculoma ???


thanks and regards


ANSWER: If indeed this was a tuberculoma then radiation therapy & decadron can indeed cause a deterioration! And they can certainly not treat a tuberculoma successfully! So unfortunately you may have here a case of sloppy and mistaken diagnostics. I'm sorry about that!

You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128

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

QUESTION: Dear Doctor,

thanks for your answer.

can a 31 sessions of radiotherapy and 2 months of decadron
show absolutley NO improvment in brainstem glioma ??


regards



ANSWER: Well it may be possible but not very probable. So probably something is wrong here unfortunately.
You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128


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

QUESTION: Dear Doctor,

thanks again,

after my daughter deterioration for 7 days ( she cannot talk, walk, swallow )
now she can talk ( 30% ),eat ( 50 % ) and walk ( 20% ).
the final diagnose was brainstem tuberculoma and she take antituberculoma drugs (3 week ago), but the first diagnose ( brainstem glioma ) still
in my mind.

after this big deterioration and the diagnose was brainstem glioma
can this improvement be possible on brainstem glioma?? or because she
take antituberculoma drugs??
the doctor said that after beginning the antituberculoma the situation
could deteriorate because the tuberculoma respond to the therapy and
the tuberculoma can do anything!!. is this TRUE ??

thanks and regards  

Answer
Well this improvement would be impossible in a glioma with anti tuberculosis medication so most probably this IS a tuberculoma and not a glioma! It could perhaps temporarily become somewhat worse in the beginning - but that does not seem to have happened - so now it probably will become better! But tuberculomas being infections and not real tumors are outside my area of expertise here!

You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128