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Brain Tumors/Treatment/prognosis of thalamic glioma in male adult

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Expert: - 1/28/2011


Question
My brother is 29 years old and 11 months old, we just got his results of his biospy he had 2 weeks ago.  He was diagnosed with thalamic glioma, the size of 2.5cm by 2.7 cm, combination of high grade and low grade. We are waiting for the final pathology report. What treatment can be done and what is possible prognosis?

Answer
Its location MAY make surgical treatment difficult but to be sure of that you need to discuss the surgical matters with a neurosurgeon. Normally brain tumors are treated with a combination of surgery, conventional radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Even with treatment the long time prognosis is usually bad. If surgery is impossible here stereotactic ("unconventional") radiation therapy with the so called "GammaKnife" or with proton beams may be tried. Its size seems to permit such treatment. But you must discuss that with his doctors. Only they can tell you if it is an option in his case. Even if possible it is certainly no guarantee of success.  I need to know the full pathology report (you can copy it here) before I can discuss his prognosis in more detail.



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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.

Experience

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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