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Cystic Lesion 6cm with a 2cm solid compnent please help !(MRI report attached)
Hi, In brief my mom (57 yrs old) was suffering painful headaches and lack of concentration "short memory loss" also problems with her already troubled high blood pressure
after 2 months of regular doctor visits without a clue , we ended to an MRI scan advised by a neurologist (Brain and nerve doctor)8 days ago that revealed the following Cystic component
http://i44.tinypic.com/dcbmgj.jpg
atm after revisiting the neurologist we are currently waiting for the pre-surgery (they will use suction to drain the cyst and then micro analyze the contents for the cyst to find whatever....) preparations within 15/6/2013 at maximum
since i knew the situtation i have been much worried for my mother and been reading thoroughly and got already information of arachnoid cysts etc...
kindly, can you give me any clue of what outcomes to this surgery??? what might that solid body be?? i knew majorly these cysts components are benign but still what are the risks or possible outcomes from such a cyst?
please i`m clueless and already there is the usual doctor/patient lack of communication etc and we can`t atm contact the doctor which we had a brief 15 min visit to... (p.s he is a brilliant doctor and head of brain/neruology sector in alexandria university)
forgive my medical mistakes i`m an engineer not a doctor
and at the end... warm thanks from egypt for any help by whoever expert that can check this situation
after 2 months of regular doctor visits without a clue , we ended to an MRI scan advised by a neurologist (Brain and nerve doctor)8 days ago that revealed the following Cystic component
http://i44.tinypic.com/dcbmgj.jpg
atm after revisiting the neurologist we are currently waiting for the pre-surgery (they will use suction to drain the cyst and then micro analyze the contents for the cyst to find whatever....) preparations within 15/6/2013 at maximum
since i knew the situtation i have been much worried for my mother and been reading thoroughly and got already information of arachnoid cysts etc...
kindly, can you give me any clue of what outcomes to this surgery??? what might that solid body be?? i knew majorly these cysts components are benign but still what are the risks or possible outcomes from such a cyst?
please i`m clueless and already there is the usual doctor/patient lack of communication etc and we can`t atm contact the doctor which we had a brief 15 min visit to... (p.s he is a brilliant doctor and head of brain/neruology sector in alexandria university)
forgive my medical mistakes i`m an engineer not a doctor
and at the end... warm thanks from egypt for any help by whoever expert that can check this situation
Sometimes things that are available elsewhere can be... well - better. Like I am waiting on a medication that is currently available in Europe but has not passed the FDA.
It is best if you read up on medical papers. Yes - sometimes famous does not put you in the best picture as they are busy BUT if you can get to a place where they consult with the famous and others, you get the benefit as well. I have done that.
In the case of cancer, they are well studied so going to a good institution where your mother is well treated and does not have to travel so much, but is affiliated with other institutions (they do that here) so they have access to other opinions can help. I would look for that.
It is best if you read up on medical papers. Yes - sometimes famous does not put you in the best picture as they are busy BUT if you can get to a place where they consult with the famous and others, you get the benefit as well. I have done that.
In the case of cancer, they are well studied so going to a good institution where your mother is well treated and does not have to travel so much, but is affiliated with other institutions (they do that here) so they have access to other opinions can help. I would look for that.
i`m seeking knowledge and i`m not a doctor either i know you are a layman... but you have been there and i see that you are eager to help with info.. thats why i laid these tons of questions... sorrowfully the infamous oncologist i`m going to meet doesn`t have that much time to answer all my worries.
anyway again i`m so thankful for any piece of information you post, and will keep this thread updated as possible.
P.S : i`m surely not asking if you know places in Egypt =) but what i noticed is that clinical trials are the only way to access a drug thats not FDA approved. thank god we have the money to even treat her abroad in germany or elsewhere,
anyway again i`m so thankful for any piece of information you post, and will keep this thread updated as possible.
P.S : i`m surely not asking if you know places in Egypt =) but what i noticed is that clinical trials are the only way to access a drug thats not FDA approved. thank god we have the money to even treat her abroad in germany or elsewhere,
You have to remember I am a layman. My experience with brain tumors is my dad, uncle and a cousin... my tumors were pituitary.
1 - being contained in the cyst, IMHO, should have contained it/slowed it if one thinks logically. Does she have any signs of cancer elsewhere?
2. I would speak to the doctors on the removal and the chances of what, if any, was left behind. If they have a treatment known to already increase chances, I would also balance side effects (quality of life) vs quantity of life
3. I don't know of places in Egypt, sorry... in the US, to go out of the box, you look for clinical trials or go to a cancer hospital running clinical trials - but you also risk having tons of interns and few real doctors looking after you.
4. Look up complex cysts GBM - you may find more papers. I don't have data on those treatments.
It is important to keep up spirits - it can be a difficult time in so many ways - a shock too - but look for support in how you can.
1 - being contained in the cyst, IMHO, should have contained it/slowed it if one thinks logically. Does she have any signs of cancer elsewhere?
2. I would speak to the doctors on the removal and the chances of what, if any, was left behind. If they have a treatment known to already increase chances, I would also balance side effects (quality of life) vs quantity of life
3. I don't know of places in Egypt, sorry... in the US, to go out of the box, you look for clinical trials or go to a cancer hospital running clinical trials - but you also risk having tons of interns and few real doctors looking after you.
4. Look up complex cysts GBM - you may find more papers. I don't have data on those treatments.
It is important to keep up spirits - it can be a difficult time in so many ways - a shock too - but look for support in how you can.
*Correction
5- Do you have Info from any clinical side regarding experimentally successful
stuff like Toca 511 and DCvax-L
5- Do you have Info from any clinical side regarding experimentally successful
stuff like Toca 511 and DCvax-L
yes in 1 week after the stitches are removed and Ki67 immuhistochemistry analysis are done for further assurance of Grade?( neurologist said it MIGHT be a grade III instead of IV) instantly after that we will do radiotherapy according to what the tumor doctor will say..
we are trying to pick a good place i`m hesitant between reputable national ones or private ones but the problem is that all such therapy is the radical ones (radio and maybe some chemo combined)
i`m reading much about Hopeful Gene Therapy through biopsy injection and seen many promising results ... but please,,, i`m clueless and need to understand or even study much...... from your expereince can u answer any of my worries/questions?
1-it was contained in the cyst for years? although median survival for grade Iv without treatment is 4 months!!!!
2- we removed it entirely with surgery i know it mostly progesses again somehow but following by radio therapy (the most effective against Glioblastomas (GBM) might expand her chances of survival???
3- do you know any reputable facilities that will at least study the case and might guide us somehow??or be interseted in giving a hand? specially in the promising Gene Therapy treatment??? (i`ll never relay on a mere person for my mothers life :( )
4- do you have any resources on similar cases? "cystic GBMs"
5- do you have any info from any side?
my skype is: spiritstallion3 if intersted in speaking you are more than welcome.
last, i`m so thankful for anything you say that might help pr even for encourgement...
P.S : she knows she have a malignant tumor but we lied about severity.... she was worried much and thank god she is better after the result miraculosly hopefully she continues like that throught the painful treatment
cheers
we are trying to pick a good place i`m hesitant between reputable national ones or private ones but the problem is that all such therapy is the radical ones (radio and maybe some chemo combined)
i`m reading much about Hopeful Gene Therapy through biopsy injection and seen many promising results ... but please,,, i`m clueless and need to understand or even study much...... from your expereince can u answer any of my worries/questions?
1-it was contained in the cyst for years? although median survival for grade Iv without treatment is 4 months!!!!
2- we removed it entirely with surgery i know it mostly progesses again somehow but following by radio therapy (the most effective against Glioblastomas (GBM) might expand her chances of survival???
3- do you know any reputable facilities that will at least study the case and might guide us somehow??or be interseted in giving a hand? specially in the promising Gene Therapy treatment??? (i`ll never relay on a mere person for my mothers life :( )
4- do you have any resources on similar cases? "cystic GBMs"
5- do you have any info from any side?
my skype is: spiritstallion3 if intersted in speaking you are more than welcome.
last, i`m so thankful for anything you say that might help pr even for encourgement...
P.S : she knows she have a malignant tumor but we lied about severity.... she was worried much and thank god she is better after the result miraculosly hopefully she continues like that throught the painful treatment
cheers
Oh... no.
It is a grade IV too... so sorry... Hopefully it was contained in the cyst as it is an aggressive form.
Are they going to to do more treatment for your mom?
It is a grade IV too... so sorry... Hopefully it was contained in the cyst as it is an aggressive form.
Are they going to to do more treatment for your mom?
Usually a neurologist, at least here, is not a surgeon - but a medical doctor that does diagnosis. The surgeon treats via surgery, the neurologist does the ongoing treatment with medications and does monitoring for changes.
It can be in larger hospitals that once the major issue is over, they move on to the larger cases? Hence why less people pass by? Is that what you mean?
I hope your mom continues to improve!
It can be in larger hospitals that once the major issue is over, they move on to the larger cases? Hence why less people pass by? Is that what you mean?
I hope your mom continues to improve!
My mom did the surgery this whole week was rough the doctors suddenly decided to remove the cyst without a biopsy
Finally my mom did the surgery yesterday but not neurologist which was supposed to do it.
Today she is 100% OK and even telling jokes 1 day after the surgery
Thank god
The contents of the cyst and the neoplastic part which was removed were sent for analysis in a renown private lab
Hopefully goes well.
But tbh removal is a big relief
BTW why there isn't any neurons passing by? :-(
Cheeers nabil....
Finally my mom did the surgery yesterday but not neurologist which was supposed to do it.
Today she is 100% OK and even telling jokes 1 day after the surgery
Thank god
The contents of the cyst and the neoplastic part which was removed were sent for analysis in a renown private lab
Hopefully goes well.
But tbh removal is a big relief
BTW why there isn't any neurons passing by? :-(
Cheeers nabil....
Update, we are about to send my mom to the hospital after finishing deadly routines to get her into Alexandria university`s educational hospital (its governmental health insurance silly routines)
but i was quiet surprised that the doctor intends to hold her for like a whole week, so its obvious that its drain or biopsy or whatsoever then it will be followed by a surgery according to the biopsy cell analysis and nature of solid body/ cyst
hoping all good, will keep you updated
but i was quiet surprised that the doctor intends to hold her for like a whole week, so its obvious that its drain or biopsy or whatsoever then it will be followed by a surgery according to the biopsy cell analysis and nature of solid body/ cyst
hoping all good, will keep you updated
Depending on how much fluid they drain, it can relieve some of the "mass effect" symptoms - that is the pressure put on surrounding tissues.
Hopefully it won't refill quickly and the biopsy will only show good things!
Keep us posted.
Hopefully it won't refill quickly and the biopsy will only show good things!
Keep us posted.
Thanks alot rumpled for the effort you put and for the spirit lifting :)
and yes it might be a biopsy only but as far as i know it will be not only sampling but draining of the cyst as well? so its a break for her even if it comes out that its a type of cyst that refills again.
and yes it might be a biopsy only but as far as i know it will be not only sampling but draining of the cyst as well? so its a break for her even if it comes out that its a type of cyst that refills again.
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It always seems scary when a family member or yourself is going through an issue.
I am going to assume the draining is a *biopsy* and not the final procedure - if you have read up on other cysts, you would then know that draining would not be effective as cysts typically re-fill, so part if not all of the margins (not sure the word) would have to be removed so it would not be able to re-fill.
I do believe, and again, I am not a doc, that her cyst may be a "complex cyst" since it contains more than fluid - not that it is complex how we think of it but that it contains more than one thing. I may be completely off here. It can also be a Craniopharyngioma. Until the type of tumor is identified, really outcome cannot be guessed - plus so much also depends on your mom's previous health, her outlook etc.
I don't know the rules in your country and if you have access to medical records - it sounds like you do - but I always try to get copies. I did not understand at first, and it seems overly scary for everything! but eventually the fear subsides as the learning curve comes up.
I hope she does well and let us know any updates!