Tumor NECROSIS?!???

[neuroma_racer]

Long story short
The bigger tumor now look heterogeneous on the new MRI
(instead of a smooth, consistent, homogeneous white) there are now various shades of grey mixed in it

The neuro radiologist who read it was saying different types of myelin
My neuro-otologist thought it may represent central tumor necrosis, (from when a tumor outgrows its blood supply, and the center part starved, dies, and necrosed)
The gamma-knife surgeon today suspected it was related to the timing of the MRI contrast

Three very different theories

Oh joy

So I have deleted the long post I thumb-typed earlier today

[Chances3]

Although I'm in the surgical group of AN patients, I would like to see the radiation crowd weigh in on this because I thought radiation eventually kills the tumor, not stop it's growth.

[Jim Scott]

Although I'm in the surgical group of AN patients, I would like to see the radiation crowd weigh in on this because I thought radiation eventually kills the tumor, not stop it's growth.

As one of the 'radiation crowd' - I underwent 26 FSR treatments on a surgically debulked AN - my understanding is that radiation treatments primary objective is to halt tumor growth and to, as my radiation oncologist put it: "destroy the tumor's DNA', preventing it from re-growing.  He told me that the tumor will shrink but will probably never entirely disappear but that it will be like a dead leaf that hangs on a tree into winter - and just as harmless. 

Jim

[sunfish]

My neurosurgeon told me prior to CK that the tumor might very well never appear any different on an MRI after treatment, it just wouldn't grow.  However, post-CK my tumor has turned dark in the middle and collapsed somewhat.  My neurosurgeon says it is dead and will never give me any further difficulties (other than the ones I'm already stuck with, I guess . . . ). 

[nftwoed]

Hi, neuroma_racer;

  Sounds like central tumor necrosis stemming from radiation disrupting DNA and the tumor's ability to amass schwann cells.
  Sometimes, when a tumor outgrows it's blood supply, a cyst develops.