Help Question

Hi

How long can a tumor grow in someone's brain before they pass?  Is there a certain time limit.  (With no Chemo or treatment)?

My sister has three tumors growing now in her brain and they are very aggressive.  She has had 5 brain surgeries to remove these tumors in 1 year and also had a baby during this time also.  She is paralyzed and cannot move so our Mom is with her helping her.  She has three children ages 14, 16 and 6 months old.  She communicates to us very well, I talk to her on the phone every single day.  I am getting ready to go back and see her but I wanted an idea of how long a tumor can grow before it's over?

Please anyone with any advice write me back.

Thank you,

Danielle - Gina's Sister / Gina Diagnosed April 2008 withGBM Stage 4

I believe I recall your sister's story about not receiving treatment during her pregnancy. These are difficult choices we make. But is she receiving any treatment now? Has she or the docs just given up? While I respect others' opinions about alternative/holistic/dietary options, I have to wonder why nothing is being done medically. So hard for all of you. Statistically, untreated stage 4 cancers do not produce long-livers. The stats will tell you 3-6 months untreated. But stats are stats. She has survived over a year against some pretty tough odds (pregnancy). Who's to say she won't continue to fight?

Danielle,

How wonderful to hear from you and to know your sister was able to deliver her beautiful baby.  What a truly selfless woman your sister must be to have endured through her pregnancy without treatment, and then to have gone through so many surgeries since.  I assume from your post that the doctors may have suggested she is beyond treatment or she has chosen to stop treatment herself.  Although I want my husband to keep fighting, I hope I am strong enough to accept when he says he no longer wants treatment.  Fortunately, I have not needed to use it yet, but many people on this site have suggested going to brainhopsice.com to answer your question.  I wish your sister a miracle so she can be here to love and raise her children.

Jackiekay

Hi Jackiekay,

How is your husband doing?  Gina is really a fighter, to have a child during all of this is amazing.  Gracie May is 6 months old now and beautiful.  I would love to send you a picture of them but it will not let me on this board.  They are miracles right now.  The doctor's are dragging their feet because she just had surgery on June 11th and had a shunt put in her brain to drain the fluid into her abdomen.  They said we have to wait for 6 weeks after surgery to do Avastin and 4 weeks to do Chemo.  But they also said that Chemo wouldn't work.  We want to try at least Avastin right now, what do we have to loose.  They have already given Gina such a grim diagnosis and said she could possibly live for one month with the tumors in her brain but of course we are praying against that.  Anyways if you want to see pictures you can email me at

--Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--

to my personal email address and I wouldn't mind sending you some pictures.

Thanks

Danielle Gina's Sister

She is not receiving treatment right now because the doctor's said that she has to wait 6 weeks after surgery to do Avastin and 4 weeks after to do Chemo.  They don't want to do the chemo on her though they say she wouldn't survive Chemo.  But Gina want's to live and will try whatever she can.  In March, she was taking the oral Temodar 5/23 and Avastin infusions every other week and it was working and then the doctor's stopped because they said she was too weak.  IT WAS WORKING, so we switched from the Cleveland Clinic to University Hospital in Cleveland OH.  My sister is a fighter as proven over and over again with her having her baby through all of this nightmare etc..

Thanks for your reply.

Danielle Gina's Sister

Danielle;

 Truly sorry to hear that your sister is doing poorly.  I hope with all the surgeries she is taking decadron from the swelling in her brain.  My husband also has 3 tumor sites, biopsy on right temporal lobe, also has left frontal and very small left parietal lobe, stable right now. He is on temador alone at this time. Don't count her out because of her 3 tumor sites, depending on how much they got and where they were.  Did the Drs. say the surgeries caused the paralysis or the tumors? Maybe the swelling?  Thank God she has a good family surrounding her.  It is too sad to think of her having to leave her children.  Try anything now, Avastin, Temador?  Did the Drs. say there is no fighting?  God Bless you all.  It is a demon this disease.

Donna, wife of Rob dx 12/08

Ray

Thanks for this information, we are at the point that we will try everything and anything possible to keep Gina here with us and her Children.

Danielle Gina's Sister

Hi Donna

Yes she is taking Decadron for the swelling.  The tumor is over her motor skills and her thinking process and keeps growing.  The Doctor's say she cannot have treatment until 6 weeks after surgery which was June 11th, but then they said she wouldn't make it that long. We want her to have at least Avastin as soon as possible to try to stop these tumors from growing.  I am so nervous that the tumors are going to keep growing and kill her.  I don't know how that works and that is what I am trying to find out on this board,  Do they keep growing and then eventually the person will pass away?  Do you know how this works with these tumors?  It is so hard that Gina has three children and has to lay in bed 24/7.  She cannot walk she has to wear diapers and My Mom has to change her.  BUT she is very coherant and talks to us like normal.  We need her to be able to get out of that bed and walk and maybe go outside and sit.  They wont' send hospice in because we are seeking further treatment which is horrible because My Mom needs help she can't move Gina on her own or get her into the shower.  I am starting a fund to collect money for a self funded caregiver to help my mom at least 5 hours a day 4 days a week or so.  Any ideas on this one?
Thanks

Danielle Gina's Sister

Oh my goodness - I'm so sorry.

Your Mom is truly a wonderful Mom - that has to be hard to take care of all that and your poor sister - I feel so sorry for all of you.

I think alot depends on age and the size of the tumors and how many, of course.  The dr'.s told my Mom 1-3 months without any treatment - she tried it again and quit after 10 or so radiation treatments and died in just at 3 months.  I have a good friend who's husband was 49 and gave it his all - tried all the treatments and did well with them and passed in 9 months.  This damn disease is horrible - it is a beast that just invades and it's hard to treat.  I wish you all the best and I will pray for your sister and all of your family.

Good luck - Rita

Hi Rita

Thank you so much for your prayers.  This is so horrible.  The worst part is I live in OK and she lives in OH so I don't get so see her as much as I would like to.  I try to go back and forth every 4 months or so but it gets so expensive.  I have a full time job and 2 children and a husband in Oklahoma.  I hate being so far away.  My Mom gave up her entire life to move in with my sister and take care of her and her three children.  She does have a husband but he is a very horrible man, and doesn't help my sister at all or take care of the kids either.  He is very mean to my Mom and me too.  I appreciate your prayers we really need them right now.  Please pray that my sister will make it long enough for treatment, we need a break and she doesn't want to die.

Thank you

Danielle Gina's Sister