radiation real risk for brain swelling and persistent symptoms?

[Brie]

Hi-
I am exploring radiation over a second resection for the remaining tumor. I was onboard until I learned that there is a realitive possibility of brain swelling and more aggressive cancer 'down the road.' I thought SRS, Gamma, and Cyber were created to avoid all these other issues. Also, if you have some face tingle around mouth (random) and some head pressure, is less likely for radiation to be successful. I am told my tumor is a size that can be controlled with radiation but controlled is different than reducing symptoms. Anyone have any similar situation or thoughts on this. I would greatly appreciate!

[Chris P]

Hi Brie,
   I am so sorry to hear you are having to think about a second procedure.  You mentioned Cancer , was your original diagnosis of the tumor Cancer?  My AN did not show any Cancer , I had Radiation Surgery done almost 2 years ago and I worry about Cancer showing up on my MRI.  I did however 3 months after my surgery experience facial weakness due to swelling , it has gotten much better but I still have trouble blinking my right eye and eating on my right side , the food tends to pop out.  I am told it can take up to 3 years for the swelling to go down so I am hopeful and keeping the faith.  I am still happy I did the radiation .  I felt at the time and I still feel now that it was the least invasive answer and if for some reason I had to have surgery down the road I alway could do that but so far all is well .  I have another MRI in August so I hope it shows the tumor shrinking which is what we all want.  Last July however I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and have been going through Chemo, surgery and radiation for the last 10 months and through it all my symptoms of my facial weakness bothered me most.   My eye tears a lot and blurs my vision so I have not diriven in a while for safety sake, my choice.  I hope I am Cancer Free now that I have finished all my treatments and I go for reconstruction surgery in Sept. hopefully then I can get back to living life like a normal person again. 

   I hope you find the right answers for your diagnosis and that you have complete healing .  Good luck, keep us posted.


Chris P.

[grammyslim]

Found this interesting

http://www.precisionradiotherapy.com/PE-RadHead.htm

I am having Radio-surgery on May 29th.

[nftwoed]

Brie;

  Is this a regrowth, or completion of a debulking surgery?
  What is the Dr's opinion re, a second surgery? Of course, it is common to follow surgery with radiation and vice versa.
  Re, conversion to malignancy; I believe there are only about 6 or 8 reported cases in the world reported as being caused by focused beam radiation. The concern is greater given NF-2.
  Re, tumor swelling, about 30 - 50% do have some swelling several months post Tx and Dr's/hospitals are well prepared for it either with steroid or lumbar shunting of the cranium ( not difficult ). Swelling, or conversion to cancer concerns wouldn't be deciding factors for me in not choosing radiation.
  Never have read of "tingling", or aural fullness being related to irradiation outcomes. Those are fairly common AN Sx in some.