ANA Discussion Forum

Archive => Archives => Topic started by: homebody on February 28, 2006, 10:49:56 pm

Title: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: homebody on February 28, 2006, 10:49:56 pm
Hello everyone!

I was diagnosed in December of 1999 with an 8 mm right-side AN. After much research and many visits to this discussion board (boy has it changed since then!) I chose to have my tumor treated with FSR at TJU/Wills Eye Hosp.  I had 28 treatments.  Dr. David Andrews was my doctor.  I am happy to report that my tumor has not grown; it still shows on MRI, but my current neurologist (I live in Washington State now) says she can hardly see it, and my hearing is still 100%.
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: ppearl214 on March 01, 2006, 06:23:37 am
Hi homebody and welcome back!

That is FABULOUS news! congrats on continued success!  I'm in final decision stage now and looks like I'll be opting for CyberKnife. Meeting with the "team" this coming Monday at Boston's Beth Israel hospital..... it's posts like your's that are helping me with this decision... :)

Phyllis
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: jamie on March 01, 2006, 02:42:47 pm
That's awesome news! So did your doc say it shrank, or is it just not enhancing with contrast anymore?
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: homebody on March 01, 2006, 09:04:50 pm
Jamie,

The tumor measures slightly smaller in overall dimensions, and is not enhancing brightly.

Sally
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: okiesandy on March 02, 2006, 11:06:44 am
Sally,

How wonderful for you to share this with us. This is what we all need. Positive results.

Sandy
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: ppearl214 on March 02, 2006, 02:10:39 pm
Let me say AMEN to that! I'm meeting this coming Monday with the Beth Israel team for my CyberKnife consult and plan of action... and Sally, you sharing this with me/us certainly does help me feel more at ease in my appt anticipation.

Phyllis

Sally,

How wonderful for you to share this with us. This is what we all need. Positive results.

Sandy
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: Static on March 02, 2006, 03:56:26 pm
Homebody, I was going to see Dr. Andrews, but after seeing my xray and the size and position (an was pressing very much so on the brain stem) I went with surgery.   Glad to hear you are doing so well.  Maybe we're neighbors! LOL
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: homebody on March 06, 2006, 07:09:47 pm
Static,

I lived in Chalfont, PA when I was Dx'ed and treated, but now I live in Washington State.

I hope your surgery went well.  I was lucky to have found my small tumor as an incidental finding on a brain MRI to check for MS lesions.  I had no symptoms of the AN except for some minor tinnitus.

I had no MS lesions, either, at the time, but I was recently diagnosed with MS anyway  :(

Sally
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: Battyp on March 06, 2006, 07:23:33 pm
Ms bad news... FSR An good news...

My sis in law is in washington state and works for a hospital running the oncology unit.  She says there are some awesome docs out there I just couldn't handle all the doom and gloom I need Sunshine :D
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: flagger on March 22, 2006, 07:24:56 pm
DR David Andrews treated me at Wills Eye also.  That was in 2000.  My AN was 2.4 and even my most recent MRI continues to show further shrinkage.  Now it is .8cc   I lost partial hearing before the treatments (28) like yours but have retained about 40%. Like you I am so glad that someone encouraged me to choose this method of treatment.  I guess now we are the folks that new AN diagnosed folks can use as historcal data.  Do you happen to be Robin?  She really helped me when I was making the difficult choice.  If yes, thanks again.  My life just continued on! K
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: shoegirl on March 23, 2006, 09:49:54 am
Homebody and Flagger,

What a great thread! I am so glad that you both shared your results! :)

I am just over 3 months post CK and reading about your results helps me feel even better about my decision.  I am so happy for both of you!  Congrats!

Hope more Radiation/Radiosurgery patients will share their success with all of us - as it really does make a difference!
Title: Re: I'm coming up on 6 yrs post FSR at Thomas Jeff. University Hosp.
Post by: lmurray69 on March 24, 2006, 10:03:21 pm
[quote
Quote
I am really happy for you mine is now a 9mm I had radiation gamma knife in columbiia ellis hospital  a year ago and mine has grown from a 5mm to a 9mm  they only gave me one treatment.. 5 different directions ..they mri is a mess its hard to tell what is good or bad,, Looks like a lot of scar tissue ,, one big mess..