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Brain Tumors/anaplastic meningioma Grade 3-update

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Expert: - 12/16/2010


Question
Hello Dr.
The Oncologist has taken my friends' wife off of her steroids and anti-cessiour medication. Today is her third day of radiation and she is doing very well, so far. No side effects as of yet. The Oncologist has been very optimistic with them and told them after radiation therapy he will preform an MRI every three months and that if the tumor recurs there are many new medications created to continue to fight this. He said that with these new medications and possible surgery she could live 2 years, 5 years, 10 years or even more. This is very good news and is keeping the family very positive through all of this.

But I wanted to ask your personal opinion. Is this true? Are there really medication and more surgery that can help her prolong her survival time? Can it really be 2, 5, 10, or even more years? Do you agree that this is possible? I do have  alot of faith and think that any thing can be possible and maybe she will be able to beat the prognosis given. But on the internet every site you read, there isn't any hope. The sites only mention 1.5 years and don't say anything further than that. The family really want to continue to fight until they can't fight any longer. She wants to be able to see her 8 year old boy at least graduate from High School. But they also want to be realistic.
Please let me know what are your professional thoughts. I will keep you updated through all this process as well.
Thank you Doctor...

Answer
Well, things do change and new medication etc. does become available over time. So it may be possible that it will work but I can certainly not PROMISE that it will. That is all I can tell you at present. I think they should try as long as possible - that is what I myself would do. But again I can not guarantee success! We will just have to wait and see if it does work or not.



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Brain Tumors

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Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D.

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I`m a doctor of medicine and specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have a long time experience of these tumours.

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I'm a Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy, educated and trained in Sweden. Now retired. 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. You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128 . I have no restrictions on the number of questions there. I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer), General History, Military History, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer.

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Doctor of medicine, specialist in medical oncology & radiation therapy.

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