Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 1/7/2010

Question
Hello -

My mother is currently suffering from a metastatic brain tumor.

She underwent a 10 course treatment of WBRT. I have started to see a decline in her every day. She is sleeping more, cognitive reasoning and thinking is more impaired as well as her balance being very unsteady.

Her treatments were finished a week ago.

Could this new increase in fatigue and confusion be from the radiation therapy or do you think it is the progression of the disease?

How long is the average life expectancy after WBRT for a 82 year old patient?

My family is trying to figure out if we should care for her at home or place her in an assisted living home.

This is a very confusing time as we are having to wait 4 weeks for an MRI to determine if the radiation was successful and how many (more)lesions she has.

Thank you so much for your expertise and for answering these questions at no charge.

That is such a wonderful thing to do, Dr.  

Answer
Both are possible. A reaction by the brain to her radiation therapy is likely but this treatment can not cure her only prolong her survival and possibly temporarily decrease her symptoms.  Her survival time can at most - even after this treatment - be measured in months. I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!  P.S. My advice is that you should place her in an assisted living home. It will be HARD to take care of her at home especially during the later stages!


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