ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: ANSPOUSE on March 24, 2013, 02:43:34 pm
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My husband had radio surgery at Hopkins 15 years ago. A new MRI shows regrowth of the tumor. Our local ENT has NO experience with ANs, could not answer basic questions. Waiting now for a referral to a specialist. Anyone have any knowledge of a case like this and what to expect?
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A study of 200 patients between 1994 and 2001 revealed a tumor control rate of 87%.
http://thejns.org/doi/pdf/10.3171/2012.7.GKS12783
In other studies tumor control reached a rate of 97%.
http://www.panarabneurosurgery.org.sa/journal/October2008/p1-10%20(551).pdf
As efficient as radio surgery has become in the last few decades, statistically there will be a small percentage of patients that experience tumor regrowth.
Not sure what you mean by "expect" but I suppose you can expect your husband to be thoroughly evaluated by AN specialists and you can expect you and him to do a considerable amount of research into current treatment in order to make a well educated decision.
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Thank you, I was interested if anyone knew anything about the general characteristics of regrowth after radiosurgery. I would also appreciate knowing if anyone was in the same situation.
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First you would want to determine if it really is regrowth. There is usually a margin of error of a couple mm between different machines. What has been your husband MRI schedule to this point and have they been on different machines? I believe most AN specialists will want to see a pattern over time and several MRI's to determine regrowth. Has he been experiencing new symptoms? A consultation with an AN specialist will be the first step. I am interested though, about the status of the AN through all those years? Did it shrink any over that time? Did it change shape? Anyways, wish you good luck and hope for the best.