Gbm Diagnosis Of Our Father

Our father was just diagnosed with a GBM.  We are currently at MD Anderson seeking their assistance.  We have so much information coming and are praying to make the right decisions and would appreciate any words of wisdom from anyone.  My dad is 55 and in good health with this exception.  We are praying that each decision we make is the right one to help from the initial treatment plan forward.  We are thinking it would be best to receive his treatments at MD Anderson since we do not have any neuro oncologists in Missouri, is that a correct assumption.  We are also under the impression that GBM patients start with the radiation and temador as the first treatment option.  We have read about other drugs being mixed with this treatment option, but I am thinking that that is after the initial treatment. 

Thanks in advance for all your advise and my prayers are with all of you battling this. 

Kim 

Hi Kin

I am so sorry to hear about your dad.  Today one year ago my son (21 years) has been diagnosed with GBM.

I wish you lots of strenght to go through this.  Try alternative treatment, the confensional treatment did not help for my son.

www.burzynskiclinic.com

www.burtongoldberg.com

  Good Luck

MD Anderson is a very good facility and seeing a neuro-oncologist is recommended.  The standard treatment is radiation and temodar.  Those who do not respond well to that can then be treated with other chemo agents.

I wish you the very best on your journey.

Hi Kim -- sorry to hear about your Dad's diagnosis.  MD Anderson is one of the top brain tumor centers so you are in a good place.  The standard first line treatment is surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible (if it's operable, sometimes they can only do a biopsy), followed by radiation and concurrent Temodar as others have stated.  Temodar is working for my husband.  There are some people who don't respond as well and there are other options if Temodar doesn't work for your Dad.

Don't dwell on the statistics you may read about GBM, they are just that, statistics, and everyone is so different.  My thoughts and prayers are with you, your Dad, and family -- maintain hope.

My husband just finished his sixth cycle of the 5/23 Temodar and he just left for the golf course, he's playing in a tournament this weekend. 

Nancy

**husband dx 8/07 GBM, surgery, radiation/Temodar, currently on 5/23 Temodar 

I appreciate your words of encouragement.  I will be sharing your response with my dad. He loves to play golf.  We will also keep you in our prayers as well.  I have read the statistics but like you we are not going to let that get us down.  We are focusing on the positive information we find like you have provided.  Thanks again.

An option you might want to consider is finding a good oncologist and radiation oncologist in your area and having your Dad's care coordinated with the neuro-oncologist at MD Anderson.  Many people do this MD Anderson, Duke, etc.  That way your Dad can be home, sleep in his own bed, have his family and friends close, still do the activities around home he enjoys, etc.

The chemo part (Temodar) is an oral chemo so it makes it easier since he'll take this at home anyway.