Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 11/20/2007

Question
My mother was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor a month ago and underwent a surgery 3 days later.The doctor said he had fully removed the tumor but in order to increase my mom's changes of survival she needs to go through radiation and chemotherapy.She is 48 years-old,in good health and is feeling well at present.Is there any chance of her being completely cured?Is the outcome of a stage 4 brain tumor always death?How long is the maximum that anyone can live with such a tumor?What usually happens to people with a stage 4 brain tumor?I have no idea what to expect because doctors in Bulgaria are not very helpfull and do not explain anything!

Answer
I suppose you mean a GRADE 4 primary brain tumor(primary brain tumors do not have stages). NO surgeon can in reality guarantee that he has "fully removed" any primary malignant brain tumor with the surgical methods available at present unfortunately. If this truly is a grade 4 tumor (brain tumors are hard to grade correctly) her prognosis is unfortunately bad. The prognosis is NOT changed by ANY therapy unfortunately but her survival time may be prolonged by radiation therapy and chemo therapy. Tumors like patients are individuals not clones but I would make an educated guess and say that her MAXIMUM survival time with ALL kinds of therapy is around 1 to 2 years with the upper limit far less probable. Well these patients get more confused over time, sleep more and more, may show stroke like symptoms and epileptic fits, drift into a coma and then pass away. Very little - if any - pain! There may be brain swelling during radiation therapy, but that can be treated with corticosteroids with the usual side effects. I do hope this explains it! I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!