Treatment Options > Radiation / Radiosurgery

finally got treated with GK - my story (with 1 year update)

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PaulW:
Thanks for your posts MS444 an interesting read.
Some of my observations if I may.
There is a study somewhere... that shows the results after a second surgery are pretty much identical to the results of surgery after radiation.
So while it is a concern, probably no more so than going for a second surgery.

Malignant transformation.
There have a pretty good estimate of the long term risks based on radiation treatment for tonsils, adenoids, and Ringworm 50-60 years ago as well as 70 years of radiation studies on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Long term risk of Malignant transformation at 20 Years is 15.6 per 100000
or about 50 times less likely than dying in a car accident

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25434949
   
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26613171

Jet747:
MS444,

Great post & very informative, even for someone who went through GK.

Looking forward to hearing your progress over time!!!

Best wishes to you,
Jet

chriswalker:
I had my gamma knife on November 15th.  My tumor was just 1cm.  The treatment went along as yours did.  My time in the machine was 32 minutes.
My downside after coming back home for recovery that evening, swelling.  Inside my head went crazy.  I completely lost my hearing. I called the doctor and was placed immediately on steroids.

I have had a lot of facial swelling since then.  There was no way I could go back to work the next day or the next two days after this.  I could barely open my eyes and the swelling has traveled down my face. 

Now, almost 2 weeks later still being weaned from the steroids, I still am having tingling in my face and lips. My hearing has returned to post gamma knife condition.  Tinnitus is way worse.  Balance is off. I find that drinking lots of water helps with the balance and dizziness.

ms444:

chriswalker -

I'm sorry to hear about your symptoms post gamma knife - that has to be uncomfortable...did you have any balance issues pre-treatment?  have the steroids helped with your swelling?

chriswalker:
I did have balance issues before the gamma knife.  That was actually my first symptom as well as dizziness.  The steroids helped with the swelling but I am being weaned off them now.  I can't stress enough for me that water really helps keep me balanced.  Plus I do balance exercises.  My doctor recommended working on my balance every day.

Thanks for the post. :)

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