Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 8/23/2007

Question
QUESTION: In 1998, my husband was diagnosed with brain cancer. Ganglioglioma. Surgery was performed to remove part of the tumor and he went through several rounds of chemo and radiation.  He was given 2 years to live.  In 2003 (well past two years), the cancer returned with a vengeance.  Once again, surgery was performed to remove all the tumor possible.  They couldn't get it all.  Radioactive pellets were then inserted in 2004 and he developed bacterial menengitis while in the hospital. The pellets made no difference.  We were told to make funeral arrangements.  Once again, they were wrong.  He came home but he has never been the same since.  The cancer has grown back again and he is on medication to stop the swelling in his brain, which, in turn, has bloated him beyond recognition.  All treatment was stopped in April of 2007 and he was given 2 months to live.  He saw an herbologist in May and began taking supplements.  His MRI in June actually showed a shrinkage of the tumor.  He developed a blod clot in his leg in July and was put on thinners for the rest of his life and told to discontinue the supplements.  He was hospitalized yesterday with very low oxygenation and further tests showed increased liver enzymes.  No one is able to tell us what is happening.  He is incoherent most of the time and is unable to walk unless oxygenated.  Are we now facing the end?  The doctor doesn't feel that these current symptoms have anything to do with the tumor as his MRI is unchanged since June.  Anything you could tell me would be helpful.  

Thank you

ANSWER: If his drs. who are at the scene can not tell you it is actually even harder for me from afar to have any clue. All I can say is that his tumor has behaved rather out of the ordinary most of the time. I personally have no faith whatsoever in any supplements in a case like this, but nor do I have much - or rather any - of it in the conventional therapies available at present for the treatment of highly malignant brain tumors. The truth is that at present no good such therapies exist. However from his general clinical picture it seems likely that his end is near unfortunately. That is all I can say! I'm sorry I have nothing more or better to tell you!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response.  I know I don't have much to give you to go on but do you think another blood clot could be causing his oxygen sat levels to drop?  Could this also raise the enzymes in his liver?  He is getting injections of cumidin while at the hospital.  Dr's think that a virus could be present but are unsure.  Chest X-ray is clear, cat scan of his head is normal (for him), blood work is fine.  The blood work shows normal white/red blood cell count.  Wouldn't this eliminate a virus?

Answer
That is of course quite possible. Thromboembolism is one of the great extra dangers in a case like this! More likely than a virus in fact though of course I can not exclude that either. Well maybe but not with a 100% certainty. Depends on viral activity and inflammatory reaction to it!