Small Cell And Transitional Cell

Does anyone have experience with both small cell and transitional cell bladder cancer.  I have both, spread to liver, bone and lymph - did 3 very strong chemo sessions and the cancer completely disappeared on PET/CAT scan, blood tests and clinical exam.  I am just completing my 5th chemo session to try and give my self the best chance to stop the disease from coming back.

The doctors are now recommending whole brain radiation to make sure that there are no refugee cells hiding out.  This procedure really concerns me.  Anyone have experience with whole brain radiatiton?

I have had a hard time getting to a definative maintenance program because the disease is so rare.

Looking forward to responses. 

 

 

 

If you go by "standare of care" then the Whole Brain radiation is not necessary since you had extensive intiatial disease.  However, the reason they are offerring it is probably because of the the apparent complete response to the chemo.  This is pretty rare (5 percent or so of cases) so they are altering the usual treatment based on your results, which is ok, as long as you understand the is a huge chance of the tumor recurring outside the CNS so it may be for nought.  Preventing CNS relapse however, if the radiation is given properly, could be considered palliative and you may have a small chance for cure.  The radiation should be given slowly and not in 10 fractions but more like 17 to 20.  It takes longer but it spares the brain better.  You should not get chemo during the treatment.

I am a doctor and you should be asking your doctors.  CNS is Central Nervous System (Brain and Spine)  The patient has a very high chance of recurrence elsewhere in the body and in people with extensive disease they  do not usually recommend this to those patients.  Palliative means that if the patient is not cured then the WB may be palliative by preventing the cancer spreading there.  In the very small chance the patient is cured then it reduces the failure rate in the brain to less than 10 percent.