Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 11/10/2011

Question
My sister-in-law was diagnosed exactly a year ago with malignant brain tumor of size 7cm*5cm at back side above shoulders. Doctors from our state said that it is inoperable, but we took her to a very good hospital in Mumbai, India and her surgery there was successful. She received radiation therapy for almost 6 weeks and is now on radiation therapy. Recently she started behaving abnormally and was talking about things which were not at all happening around. She is not at all eating anything, unless we force her to do so. Whole day she is on bed sleeping. Recent scanning have shown two more tumors in her brain. Doctors said that its only one month she can survive. Is it true, is there no other way out, she is just 28 years old.

Answer
Unfortunately malignant brain tumours have a very bad prognosis regardless of treatment. This is just another example of that. For the most malignant brain tumours a survival time of around one year is more or less normal from diagnosis. So it seems also here. A cousin of mine recently lost his youngest son (in his 30ies) to such a tumour. So unfortunately nothing can at present be done. I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!


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