Does heat affect patients that have whole brain radiation. - 1255932

ketchee2
Posts:3

Hi, my husband has had Lung Cancer which matastisis to his brain then removed and is 7yrs cancer free and still free from cancer.Last Dec he got a bad staff infection on his head which the heat from the infection sparked seizures and dementia symptoms within a couple of days. Treated and had all tests done at COH. Show white matter disease probably from WBR 7yrs ago. Last night he had a hot shower and when he got out he was walking tilted so I sat him down BP 138/93 I gave him as he sat down slightly tilted, 2 puffs of a rescue inhaler just because I didn't know what to do, he was breathing fine at the time. When he released the breath you could see him straighten up..strange. Does heat on his head have side effects? Between the staff infection getting his head hot, creating seizures and this very hot shower making him not normal, is there any info on heat affecting a person that has had brain tumors?

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Reply # - April 25, 2013, 11:40 AM

catdander
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Hello ketchee2, I'm very sorry your husband has developed these symptoms. I'm afraid our faculty won't have much insight on this as this sounds like a very individual set of circumstances on a subject that isn't their specialty. I'll make sure Dr. West sees this, he may believe our radiation oncologist will have some input.

It sounds as if you have some info on the role heat played when you said "heat from the infection sparked seizures and dementia" ?

I wish I had something to offer.
Best,
Janine
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Reply # - April 25, 2013, 12:23 PM

ketchee2
Posts: 3

I believe the drugs that he had by IV for 2 weeks and a combination of his head getting hot compromised an already compromised brain and symptoms showed up in 1 day after the IV's were done. I will post the medication that got rid of the staff infection but possibly aggravated the "white matter disease" that I did not know he had, since their wasn't any symptoms or signs as I could see. I do believe he is the COH special person for making it so long without any symptoms from these 2 horrific Cancers since 2005, by the way City Of Hope is an awesome hospital..I do not believe he would be alive if it had not been for them.

Reply # - April 25, 2013, 12:32 PM

catdander
Posts:

ketchee2, You maybe seeing my husband's history under my post. Repeat members add a "signature" when we expect other's especially faculty oncologists to help us out with questions we have about ourselves or loved ones. That way we don't have to rewrite everything each time. Sorry to have confused.

Thanks for the explanation. I've heard that COH is quite a good place to be.

Reply # - April 25, 2013, 01:39 PM

Dr West
Posts: 4735

To my knowledge, there is no evidence that heat, at least to the degree that wouldn't be deliberately caused by a treatment specifically targeting brain lesions, should have any impact on brain metastases or cause side effects specifically in someone with a history of whole brain radiation. However, the white matter disease as a long-term side effect of WBR may be associated with a greater susceptibility to any of various challenges to the brain. A hot shower may have opened up blood vessels and led to a transiently low blood pressure, which may also have led to these symptoms. Perhaps diminished blood perfusion to the brain in the setting of transiently low blood pressure led to his symptoms.

Good luck.

-Dr. West

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