Gamma Knife to parietal lobe - 1242810

Help...Please...Mom is schedueled 3/28 for gamma knife to the parietal lobe thats less than a cm Rad said and that part where the tumor does nothing.
Needless to say I googled and it plays a very important part integrating sensory information from various parts of the body, knowledge of numbers and their relations and the manipulation of objects.

Now you could see why I need some info. Just want to get all my eggs and put it in a basket and discuss it with Dad.

Mom is very nervous to have it done...form the atavan 1mg given there only to 4 locals given in the head, to the screws, to being placed in an ambulance for an MRI/CT Scan to the otherside of the building, than comes back to have it done which takes they said 25 mins.the gamma knife.

We are just so worried, Mom had WBR 1/11 and she hasn't been the same since, we feel like every week she's getting worse her thinking, memory etc...

They said side effects possible are swollen eyes (don't know is that from the head frame or the gamma knife. couldn't ask that quest. in front of mom sorry) headaches for a couple of days and may need to be put on anti seizure med, but wont know that till were done.

Any info would be of great help and very much appreciated!
Thank you and God Bless
Sleepless

Forums

primarymark
Posts: 61

Sleepless in jersey,

You might want to repost this in the Cancer Basics or Head/Neck Cancer forums. Use the "Ask A Question About ____" menu above to find the correct areas. The good docs here will probably respond quicker if you post in one of those areas. :)

Cheers and good luck with your Mom's procedure,

-Mark

Dr West
Posts: 4735

The probability of serious side effects from a single focal radiation treatment to the brain for a small (less than a centimeter) lesion is very, very low. The risk of problems from a growing brain lesion is much higher. I would say that the balance of benefit vs. risk here is overwhelmingly on the side of treatment.

As Mark indicated, please try to identify the most appropriate place for your question, rather than just putting the question in the first place you happen to find. The various forums are listed in the menu under "Ask a Question About ____", and you just need to pick the most appropriate of the choices there.

Good luck to your mother.

-Dr. West