How serious is a 3/4" inch by 2 cm temporal lobe tumor in a left-handed individual

[BethMarie]

I am doing some research for a family member, male, 49 years old, attorney who has had some hearing loss and was told by a neursurgeon that he may have a tumor in his temporal lobe presumably on the right side. He is left handed and they told him that the area that controls writing and speech may be affected.  The tumor is about 3/4" by 2 cm of unknown depth.  He was told that he should have a biopsy but that there is a 1 in 100 chance that the biopsy could be fatal.  He wants to wait and avoid the biopsy because he fears that he will either die or be seriously impaired verbally (thus ending his career) if he undergoes a biopsy with odds like that.

What I would like to know is, should he wait to see if it grows and if so, could he wait a week, two weeks, a month? Or should he just get the biopsy right away.  Should he seek a second opinion?  He went to a University hospital for this diagnosis but it is the first one he has been given.  Is that size tumor large for that part of the brain?  

Any direction would be welcomed

[BethMarie]

Thank you for those insights.  He has been to the local large private University hospital.  Since I posted this, the surgical group there has studied his MRI further and decided to wait 3 months to see if it progresses, before proceeding with any kind of intervention.  In the meantime, he is considering traveling to another more prominent University facility for a second consultation.  I will keep this group posted and continue to welcome input.
I appreciate it.  His primary symptom has been hearing loss, to date.

[rumpled]

If he is not comfortable - certainly he should seek out another opinion. As long as he is having symptoms, the size is a factor (after all, you do hear of others having large ones with fewer symptoms) so location is a factor.

There are always risks with biopsies etc. The doctor has to disclose them. A better question would be has the surgeon had any, and if so, under what circumstances, and is your family member going to be like that person  as in it could be an anatomical thing, or something - but it should not be a surgical skill issue if you get my gist - the complications usually arise from something unexpected from the patient - so get those facts so you feel better or at least more confident in who you are working with. Some docs take on more complicated cases so they may have worse numbers but may be more skilled so you have to ask questions beyond numbers.

Is it a university that has a big brain tumor center or do you need to go elsewhere where there is more expertise in case of complications? Travel for healthcare sometimes needs to be considered if you want to get the best. Get copies of everything and read it up and fax it around and see if you find a place where someone says - AH!