Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 4/27/2010

Question
In June 2005 my husband was diagnosed with a grade 3 AA. He underwent surgical resection, 42 treatments of radiation with temodar and intravenous chemotherapy. We currently go for MRI’s every 6 months and they have all been great. It is said that tumors recur maybe around the 5th year and this is his 5th year.  We are scheduled for routine MRI in May 2010.   His quality of life has been great and the only thing I notice is that his short term memory is getting worse other than that all is well.  What are the chances of this tumor recurring?

Answer
For having been treated for a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma your husband has actually survived for a remarkably long time (5 years). That makes me wonder if the grading of his pathology diagnosis was incorrect (to grade correctly is difficult so that kind of mistake is possible). It may be possible that the grade of his tumor should be lower (1 or 2) which could explain why he is still with us. You can ask for a second opinion on his pathology diagnosis including grade in order to solve this question. All malignant brain tumors have a high risk of recurring sooner or later. The higher the grade the sooner they usually reappear. Since grade 4 is the highest and worst, the tumor of your husband was in the second worst category - if his grade was correct. Please do keep me posted!



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