New AN in Toronto - gneral advice and local options?

[calimama]

Thanks Mark and Steves for thoughts and comparisons of GK and CK. It sounds like CK might be the better choice... but i dont think we have this here in Toronto. We only got GK in 2005... i guess we are lucky for that. I guess our public health care got tired of having to pay for patients electing this treatment in the US.

I am just waiting now for the chance to speak with a doc/rad about my suitabiltiy for GK. I feel totally fine now, but i guess it will be good to get this thing 'arrested' asap. I am hopeful...

With gratitude...

[yardtick]

I'm sure Princess Margaret Hospital provides CK.  St Michael's might also.  Check with your Dr.

[Lorenzo]

This site will give you the locations of various CK centres around the world.

http://www.accuray.com/CyberKnifeCenters/index.aspx

Ciao, Lorenzo

[calimama]

Thanks Lorenzo...
I did check the link and there is no "Canada" to choose from in the list of countries offering CK.

There is something called "LINAC" offered here, which i think has been around for a long time, but from google i don't see that these are one in the same.

thanks though!

[Lorenzo]

HI Calimama,

CK and LINAC are indeed not the same in terms of machine. They are different types of machines delivering the same type of radiation. CK is mounted on a robotic arm and therefore has more flexibility than LINAC. Also, Princess Margaret in Toronto deliver FSR in 25 sessions, CK is generally delivered in three. Whether one is better than the other I wouldn't know. I think in general CK is considered more accurate.

All the best, Lorenzo

[yardtick]

In one of Windsong's posting she had a link to an article about the new LINAC machine in Ontario and I believe it is at Port Credit Hospital.   Lorenzo, maybe you can help me out here, I know she wrote about it in the early summer of 2007 when I first joined the forum. 

That's our Windsong, still watching over us.
Anne Marie

[Lorenzo]

Hi Anne Marie,
Weird going back over Windsong's posts... The only one I could find was this:

Hi,

This is a video about the linac and the abiliies it has to treat tumours.....

hope it comes through and if it doesn't I will post  the webaddy....

http://www.cvh.on.ca/video/index.html

oh good i think it came through....  click on "radiatiion treatment at CVH" to see a kinda neat "star wars" type linac machine aiming at tumours....lol Smiley
windsong


It was at Credit Valley Hospital.

Ciao, Lorenzo

[yardtick]

Oh Lorenzo,  I amaze myself sometimes and I knock their socks off at work.  This old girl might have a brain tumour but she has one hell of a memory
Modest aren't I?  Oh, well LOL!!!  Thanks for helping me with that.  Windsong is smiling down at us.  I've told you before she is still working her magic.

Calimama, I hope the link was helpful.

Anne Marie

[Lorenzo]

HI Anne Marie, no problem, glad I could help. You sure have a great memory, unlike my own sieve variety. Ya, Windsong sure has left a lot of things behind...
Ciao, Lorenzo

[calimama]

Thanks guys... star wars and all!

I have a consultation for GK in 2 weeks time. I am fearful that they will say i am not a good candidate as my AN is borderline large (2.9cm at Jan MRI) and has "moderate mass effect" on the brain stem.

Is "moderate mass effect" the same thing as brain stem compression? I understand the latter is very serious, can present serious symptoms, and often requires surgery FAST. I am hoping that because they didn't rush me off to the operating table upon seeing my MRI that i dont have 'compresion' and am still a candidate for GK.

I guess another risk with AN in contact with brain stem is that the stem would get some radiation while treating the AN?

I now the doc at the GK centre in Toronto will go over all of this with me, but i am just trying to better prepare myself for what i might expect  to hear. I am sort of thinking they might suggest a debulk (surgery) and GK. I am really really hoping to avoid surgery. The double whammy of surgery AND radiation in the head seems a bit cruel... but who said life was fair?!

yikes.....

[Lorenzo]

Hi Calimama, 

I would read 'moderate mass effect' in the sense that the AN touches the brain stem. At the time I had treatment 2.5mm was the limit for CK, but that has since been revised upwards  to 30mm I think. As for the brain stem receiving radiation, mine was touching and slightly pressing on my brain stem and they still did CK, so they have ways of avoiding critical areas. It all depends so much on the individual cases. Not sure about the debulk suggestion. Not familiar with the scenarios on that, when they do it. I think it's mostly on large tumours that they can't remove completely surgically and need to irradiate following surgery.

All this said, i'm no expert in all of this, except for my own experience, so maybe somebody has a clearer answer for you.

Good luck,

Lorenzo