Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 7/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: My brother 43 yrs old was diagnosed a brain tumor (OLIGODENDROGLIOMA) just 10 days back.Today he underwent a surgery.His Nuerosurgen says he has doubt about tumor to be a malignant one. What are further possibilities for treatments?

ANSWER: To be able to answer I need to know if this indeed was an oligodendroglioma or not (since his dr. had doubts). If not what was it? Furthermore I need to know the GRADE, SIZE & exact LOCATION of his tumor.


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QUESTION: Yes,it was an oligodendroglioma.Size was 5cm as detected in MRI and was located in the right frontal lobe of the brain.Grade is not yet known as biopsy results are awaited.What his Dr. said is about the possibility of tumor being malignant and hsa entered into a nerve which controls the movement of right part of body.

ANSWER: Ok, then we have to wait for the result of the biopsy. When we have that it will be possible for me to answer. The tumour GRADE is very important and the best way right now of getting that information is by a biopsy!


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QUESTION: Now the biopsy report has come and that shows tumor was of grade II.Also MRI test after surgery shows that 99% has been removed.My question is about how long it will take for the treatment and his life expectancy here after.

Answer
Well then his tumor is malignant but not very much so. His survival time can be measured in several years. However there is a risk that it will come back and do that with a higher grade. Then if that happens h is prognosis will be much worse. What more treatments are planned? Radiation therapy? Chemotherapy? Both?