Jefferson's Multidisciplinary Brain Tumor Center? Anyone have cyberknife there?

[KeepSmiling]

Jefferson's Multidisciplinary Brain Tumor Center. I was impressed when I read this: Our multidisciplinary team has worked together for over 14 years in the diagnosis and treatment of acoustic tumors. We believe in the integrated care of acoustic tumor patients, utilizing the most suitable tool(s) available. The team evaluates between 40 to 60 acoustic tumor patients a year with a cumulative experience of over 750 acoustic tumor patients. Among our innovations:
- Neurophysiologic monitoring of the VIIth nerve during surgery
- Development and ongoing refinement of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy
 

Also- we are from the Philly area and we could get support from my husband's family and all our former neighbors.

We are considering David W. Andrews, M.D., F.A.C.S. Professor and Vice Chairman for Clinical Services
Department of Neurological Surgery, Director, Division of Neuro-Oncologic Neurosurgery & Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Medical School: University of Colorado, Denver, CO, 1983
Internship: General Surgery, The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, 1984
Residency: The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, 1989
Fellowship: Neuro-Oncology, The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 1987
Board Certification: Neurosurgery


We would be so grateful if you would reply.  Thanks so much for this valuable site!!!

[JoyNJ]

I had fractionated radiation at Jefferson.  They were WONDERFUL!  I had 25 treatments that ended on Dec 18.  I started with a surgical ENT, Dr. Artz who told me that due to deafness in my left ear (unrelated to the auditory neuroma) in time I would probably need a cochlear implant and he will probably be the doc I will use for that. The AN is in my RIGHT ear, so I had to have a treatment that would have the best chance to save the hearing after the treatment. He referred me to Dr. Evans, who is a Neurological ENT,  who prescribed the fractionated radiation.  Again, since I have no hearing in my left ear, the choices for treatment had to conserve the only hearing I have left, in the ear with the AN.  I had the radiation at the Kimmel Cancer Center in Center City.  Everyone from the person at the front desk to the techs on the machine, the nurses, to my Radiation Oncologist Dr. Shi, were caring, professional, knowedgeable and made sure I was comfortable through every step of the process.  I so highly recommend Jefferson.  I live 52 miles away and made that 104 mile round trip 5 times a week for 5 weeks and would do it again in a heartbeat as I feel it was my best chance to save enough hearing to continue to work for a few more years. 

I cannot speak for  other forms of radiation treatment as I was not a candidate for CyberKnife, as it has a bit of a lower percentage of conserving hearing in the treated ear, but I know that the treatment I received at Jeff was not a fluke.  I saw many of the same people every day for many weeks as we waited for our turns on the machines.  I am pretty sure almost every other person was there for cancer treatment and as they neared the end of their treatment cycles I could see the toll it was taking on them.  But each and every one had a smile for the staff members as they would walk through the waiting areas.  We knew our treatment techs by name and the techs knew each of our names on sight! Even the "concierge" who walked me through my first couple of visits knew my name on sight by the second time I was there.  They even got to know my husband.  I am a nurse (I work in hospice) and this is the first time in my life that I have had to have such intensive treatment in a hospital setting.  I often tell my patients families that they need to be the advocate for their loved one if they end up in a hospital or nursing home as it seems in health care, hospice patients are not a priority in those settings.  I was all set to be my own best advocate.  I NEVER had to get to that point.  If I was anxious (like during my MRI and when they were fitting me for my mask prior to treatment) they stopped, helped me recover and started again.  And never made me feel I was being a pain or a sissy.  I truly believe the faith I had in the team helped me to get through that 5 weeks of insane travel, anxiety, exhaustion from treatment and working (never lost a days work while having treatments!). 

OK, all done now 

[KeepSmiling]

Thanks for the reply. It seems our situation is similar. One ear has the AN and the other has compromised hearing, perhaps not of the same degree as yours. Some questions:

1. It sounds like your treatments ended just recently- Dec 18, 2012?? Even so- Would it be possible to elaborate about how you are faring now, after the treatment? After the treatments, what outcomes did you have?  We are interested in knowing about whether returning to work immediately after and during the treatments is feasible. This is key. Also we would like to know whether your treatments have resulted in dizziness, headaches,  ear aches, seizures or hemi facial seizures, balance, and tinnitus and to what extent. We are interested in finding out whether your treatment had good outcomes.

2. Also- could you clarify what you mean by fractionated radiation? Just to clarify- I thought fractionated radiation actually is cyberknife ? Can you refer me to a specific website so that I could better understand what fractionated radiation means and how it is different from cyberknife? I had thought that fractionated radiation was cyberknife treatments done at fractions, at many different sessions, a little at a time.   Am I wrong? Sorry if I overlooked something. All of this is so new to us.

2 a. This fractionated radiation treatment sounds unique  but the again this is all so new. We are trying to determine- Does Jefferson's Multidisciplinary Brain Tumor Cente have a unique approach that cannot be found elsewhere-- one that helps preserve the hearing and facial nerve function- much  better than elsewhere. Or... is fractionated radiation widely available? Any insights form anyone would be appreciated.

3. May I ask-What was the size of your Acoustic Neuroma tumor? Has the size changed?  If you'd prefer not to reveal this, could you kindly send me a private message?

Thanks again for the detailed reply. Thanks to all of you!---This forum is outstanding.

[KeepSmiling]

  Love this site. I have been reading about all this stuff and I understand it much better. Great site!

[AdamPA]

I was recently diagnosed with an AN on my left side and my ENT sent me to see Dr. Artz who also recommended radiation and that I see Dr. Evans or Dr. David Andrews.  I finished my hearing and balance test last week and I'm off to see Dr. Andrews on Friday. 

So far my experience with Jefferson has also been very good and very positive.