MRI and Cyberknife Prep, 11/2

Got some good news -- they did a super hi-res MRI yesterday (3-4 times normal MRI resolution) and didn't find anything new beyond the second tumor already seen. That means "whole brain radiation treatment" (a pretty severe treatment) is off the table for next week. Instead only the more localized and relatively predictable cyberknife procedure is needed (what they were planning on doing anyway).

So I'm scheduled for two cyberknife sessions next week (there was more work than could be done in a single session). They'll be treating the tumor bed of the already removed tumor, as well as (directly) the new second tumor.

They also did a CT scan yesterday to build a mask for me for the cyberknife procedure. During the procedure, the mask is used to immobilize and/or track with any head movements, so that the laser beam goes where it's meant to.

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2nd talk with Surgeon

Found out more about the VATS procedure today. They'll remove a nodule, and then keep me on the table while it's biopsied. If it is positive, they'll get more material, then wrap up. If the biopsy comes back negative, they'll do another nodule... and biopsy again and wait... not sure how many times they'll repeat. I guess I'm hoping for a long procedure. The surgeon said he'll ask the lab to freeze some of the material so that I could have it retrieved at a later time... mentioned I was getting a second opinion from UCSF cancer center, and that UCSF may therefore be interested in getting some of the sample as well.

Cyberknife 11/9-10

Underwent 2 cyberknife sessions, the first to treat the tumor bed of the first brain tumor, the second to treat the second one that showed up recently. The procedure is pretty straightforward, it's outpatient. The picture shows the mask they made for me which holds my head in place so the laser is accurate. Each session was an hour or so. I should know by the end of the weekend if there are any short-term complications (none I hope). Then it's a matter of letting the radiation do its job over the next couple of months. Then re-scanning to see both how the two treated areas are doing, and also to see if anything new shows up in the brain.

Cycle 4/Course 2 Finished

(8/6-8/9/2010) Finished cycle 4/course 2. Stopped this time due to some combination of high white T cell count, neurotoxicity and maybe something else. Tolerated 4 bags out of a total of 14, felt as bad as the other times where I tolerated more doses. Will get more scans in about 5 weeks time, and see what they look like compared to the last sets.

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