AboutClaes-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.
I am 26 years old male. I recently had my brain surgery for brain tumor on 23rd May. My symptoms started on 5th May, 2009 and they were vertigo, vomiting. In initial diagnosis, doctors suggested that it might be astrocytoma, ependymoma or meningioma.
After the surgery i recovered well and doctor said he achieved gross total resection. My biopsy report revealed that type of tumor was Medullablastoma.
Whats the prognosis of this type of tumor? Whats the difference between Medullablastoma and glioblastoma? Also what further treatment is required? My doctor said both radiotherapy and chemotherapy is required. I took opinion from another doctor and he suggested only chemotherapy.
A quick response will be highly appreciated.
Answer I agree with your dr. BOTH radiation therapy (including your whole brain AND your spine since this tumour has a tendency to spread via the cerebrospinal fluid to the whole central nervous system - it is also one of the few brain tumours that have a tendency to spread outside the central nervous system primarily to bones) AND chemotherapy SHOULD be used - only one of them is not enough! This is a highly malignant tumour and should be treated accordingly. Even so it is not quite as hopeless as glioblastoma multiforme tumours where a grade 4 (IV) tumour patient survives not much more than a year regardless of treatment. In your case I would estimate your chances of surviving 5 years to be around 50% with treatment though it is difficult to evaluate without more information concerning grade and stage (this is one of the few brain tumours that are staged, most are not) of your tumour. Good luck!
