Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 7/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: my son is 25, about 3 yrs ago a tumor was found in his motor skills, they cut as much as they can without leaving him paralyzed, they have done this 3 times. this last surgery they found it had spread to the part of the brain that affects your thoughts, and is in operatable. i dont know the stage just that its aggressive, since he is of age i dont get to speak with the doctors, and dont know much. what can he expect and worst case senerio, how long mite he have? thank you.

ANSWER: I'm sorry to read about his - and your - problems! Unfortunately it is not easy to give you any information when what you have been able to tell me is so limited. However with this behaviour it must be malignant though not very much so or he would be dead long ago. It seems however that it has become more malignant over time based on what you have told me. If so his probable survival time can probably be measured in months, certainly not in years!


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QUESTION: thank you again for answering my question so quickly, when he went thru his 3rd surgery that time the tried something he explained as something like chemo pellets around the yes maligent tumor, but that didnt reove it all. at that time he was told anywhere from a month to 15 yrs,but that was before it had gone to the other spot, and since this part is the thought process part of the brain what can we expect on what will be happeining to him before it takes him. will he just be laying around and not be able to communicate? thanks again for your time

Answer
Over time he will become more and more confused and sleep more and more. When he sleeps all the time his end will be near. He will then slip into a coma and then pass away. There will be little pain - if any. I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!