Fractionated Steriotactic Radiotherapy, anyone?

[suz]

Hello  friends,
I am wondering if anyone out there has undergone the FRACTIONATED SRT/gamma knife vs. the single treatment. My doc treats this way and it almost sounds too good to be true. Time intensive, but seemingly with very few side effects in the short or long term. Trying to decide between microsurgery and FSRT after recent growth. I have read alot about the effects of the single dose therapy but not fractionated. It seems that this doc (Andrews at Thomas Jefferson in Phila) was responsible for one of the trials of this lower-dose therapy and he reports good results. Just curious what the patient population says?
Suz

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Suz ~

I underwent 26 FSR sessions (approximately 40-50 minutes each) to destroy a 2.5 cm AN that my neurosurgeon had debulked (from almost 5 cm) 3 months earlier.  This was a planned approach (surgery then radiation).  He chose FSR because it had proven to be efficacious with a minimal amount of damage to brain tissue and cranial nerves.  I went to a hospital cancer center for treatment, Monday through Friday (weekends off).  I did this for 5 weeks (and one day) driving myself both ways, a 60-mile round trip each day.  The FSR sessions were tedious but painless and I suffered no ill effects.  No nausea or dizziness.  Subsequent MRI scans showed the beginnings of necrosis and shrinkage in the remaining AN.  I feel great and have long since resumed my normal life.  

On the basis of my FSR experience, I would have to say that it was an excellent choice for me.  I trust it would be the same for you.

Jim

[sgerrard]

My impression is that the three main methods of radiation treatment for an AN - CK, GK, and FSR - all work pretty well. Choosing among them is like choosing between Cadillac, Mercedes, and Lexus.

There have been at least a couple of people on the forum in the last two years who did FSR at Jefferson. As you have reported, it seems to work fine.

My personal biased view is that GK is all in one shot, which is too much at once; FSR is 25 or so shots, which is too spread out; and CK, with 3 to 5 shots, is just right. 

Kate (KJ) recently had FSR in Ohio. Here is her post at Christmas:
http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=11408.msg131724#msg131724

Steve

[suz]

Thanks, Jim and Steve.
You two always have positive ,encouraging, and informative commments. 
Since I had always envisioned surgery - and not FRST,etc - I have not educated myself before. Glad that time is on my side.
Now back to being a mom.....
Suz