Lung cancer stable but gone to brain - radiotherapy on brain

Hi Train spotter 

I haven't had radiotherapy to my brain but I noticed that you said you hadn't had replies to any of your posts in other groups.

I've had a look and found this reply to the post you put up in the brain cancer group

Responding to you here will 'bump' your post back to the top of page one as it had slipped off the first page. Hopefully, some group members will see it now and share their experiences with you.

((hugs))

I was diagnosed in 2019 with a small tumour in my lung and a small tumour in my brain. I had a lower right lobectomy and stereotactic radiotherapy to my brain, the three month scan showed a reduction in size of about a third. It hasn’t reduced any more but remains stable. I know they can only do stereotactic if they are small and up to 4 or 5, probably also depends on where they are. 

Hi,

Sorry to read this, my experience was quite different but but might be a little help?

I had a 2ndary brain tumour, left parietal lobe. Most was removed surgically and the tumour bed given a few sessions of radiation to mop up the rest. It still lights up a tiny bit on the scans but it remains stable and is considered all good.

The main takeaway I can offer is that the brain does rewire itself after damage. Forget about old dogs not learning new tricks, I was in my late 60's and still managed to build the new neural pathways and rewire. It happens. Things are not all done and dusted.

To start with I felt rather pathetic: I struggled to remember words to use in conversation, couldn't say what year it was or even day of the week. What made it weird was that I could think things but couldn't produce them verbally. All tremendously frustrating, like being a prisoner inside my own head. My short term memory was suddenly rubbish. The consultant told me I would be back to normal and approved to drive again after 6 months - from my experience it took closer to a year before I was happy with my recovery.

There should be therapy on offer from the hospital. They'll have exercises to work the brain and encourage it to rebuild. Please take advantage of this if available - whatever they offer will not be enough so take it all. I still do Microsoft FreeCell as an exercise, even now, and some people do Sudoku - it doesn't matter what, just get the brain trying to work again.

Long term side effects? My short term memory is still poor though my long term memory is getting faster at retrieving things. I like jazz now, and I never used to. Weird. I've learned to embrace it.

Hope this helps, and all good wishes for your Mum.

kind regards
Steve

Thank u for your reply, my mum has just under home 5 sessions of radiotherapy to the full brain - they said it’s not to cure it but try reduce it-  there was one lesion 2 cm -  they said it is in the pons part of the brian so coudo not operate or do focused radiotherapy as it is in a place that does not allow much swelling around it x thank u for your information xxx. Hope you are doing well x 

Hi Steve : my mum has just undergone 5 sessions of radiotherapy on whole brain the position of where it was meant it could not be operated on and could not use focused RT/ due to not enough room to swell in taht part of the brain- so Wednesday was her last session/. She is now like a stroke victim or some one  with brain  damage -  she can not move or do anything for herself  we have to move every part of her Body to get her up into the wheel chair  to then get her up and place her on the toilet  can understand her. A bit - she lays there with eyes closed  sleeping,  x x   It’s cruel and very sad seeing her like this,  xx  the consultant said it will get worse before it gets better -  I don’t kno how it’s will ever get better x I just hope in a few weeks there will be some positive changes xxx thank u for sharing your story with me  xxx lots of love x 

Thank u kindly x much appreciated. X

I hope she gets good results from the radiotherapy sessions. 
Take care.