Why the tumor seems bigger after the radiosurgery?

[mcrue]

I would definitely contact Dr. Schwartz at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles. He performs both Gamma Knife and traditional microsurgery, and has experience treating "radiation failures." He offers free phone consultations when you mail in your MRI and information.

Best wishes.

[JLR]

Thanks very much. Has anyone on the forum had to be retreated.? I'm just hoping I can have the CK rather than any type of surgery. So bummed out. Joan

[Tumbleweed]

Hi, Joan:

I PM'd you in regards to your question about pretreatment with CK.

Best wishes,
TW

[JLR]

Hi TW yes I received. Again, thanks so much. Most appreciated. Joan

[mcrue]

If your heart is really set on "retreating with radiation",  then I would certainly contact as many radiation specialist throughout the country as possible to find out if that's possible, and their opinion for this delicate and more complicated matter.

Here are some of the top 8 places for radiosurgery, and the best neurosurgeons in the USA to start you off. I would simply mail a copy of your most recent MRI and medical history for their free consultation over the phone.

Dr. Lunsford - Gamma Knife at UPMC Pittsburgh, PA
Dr. Chang - Cyber Knife at Stanford, CA
Dr. Kondziolka - New Jersey, Manhattan, New York
Dr. Sheehan - Univ. Virginia - Gamma Knife - UVA
Dr. Schwartz - House Ear Clinic -  Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Friedman - Keck Univ- California
Stephen Tatter and Michael Chan - Wake Forest University North Carolina - Gamma Knife
Clinton A. Medbery, III, M.D. Southwest Radiation Oncology - Oklahoma
And perhaps your local Gamma Knife and Cyber Knife specialists

[JLR]

Thanks very much. But regarding surgery. Isn't that a very long heard 7 hour surgery ??

[PaulW]

I believe if you are to get a second round of radiation they will do a PET scan to determine how much of the tumour is dead and how much is alive.
It could be that only a small portion of the tumour is active and that is the part they will treat. Not the whole tumour again.
When people get AN's retreated its normally not the whole tumour.
This reduces radiation doses and complications