Brain tumor biopsy

[mumblechum1]

My nephew was diagnosed with a brain tumor on Wednesday, via a MRI scan. Was transferred last night to a bigger hospital on the understanding from what he'd been told that he'd have an op today or tomorrow to remove it.

Just heard from my sister that the bigger hospital isn't even going to do a biopsy till next Wed, so 7 days after MRI picked up the tumor, and the biopsy results won't be readyfor 10 to 14 days later, and then who knows when the op will take place.

Does anyone medical understand why everything is happening so slowly? The tumor is 3.7mm and the first consultant said after 5.2 mm it will be inoperable.

He's on steroids to relieve the pressure.

Unfortunatly, a grade 4 in brain tumour terms (Glioblastoma Multiforme is the only one described in these terms) is very bad news indeed. There are treatments that will give him good quality of life for a while, but his life will be very limited I'm afraid.
Wishing you and your family strength in the months to come

Thanks.

So very sorry to hear this mumblechum :( It all sounds very worrying. I hope you and your family manage to find your way safely through this difficult time.

Mumblechum, I am so sorry, can give no advice but am sending heartfelt wishes to your nephew, your sister and yourself x

Thank you all for your kind words. Am steeling myself to phone my mum, she's already lost one grandson (our DS1) and isn't very strong emotionally .

Mumblechum, I am so, so sorry for you and your family. Grade 4 Glioblastoma is very aggressive. I hope you can all support each other in the weeks and months to come

Thanks. Just spoken to sister who is remarkably calm; I think she'd been doing a lot of googling and felt that it was going to be very bad news. It's so awful for her and everyone else.

I've suggested to that he and his fiancee on holiday somewhere hot next week, as he starts radiotherapy in 3 weeks for five days a week for six weeks so he's going to be in pretty crap shape once that starts.

He'll probably get appointments through for next week as theres lots of preparation for the radiotherapy to do, so don't book anything.

I am so sorry to hear that Mumble :(

I hope what you have googled isn't right. I'll keep him in my thoughts x

I've just offered to send them to the Four Seasons at Sharm el Sheikh from 1st to 8th April but they can't, as CMOT says, even though the treatment doesn't start for three weeks he has to have some more tests.

It would have been lovely for them to have a week of calm before the storm. I got cancer in 2004 and before I started chemo DH and I had what we called the Celebrate Life weekend at the Four Seasons in Prague. Many cocktails were drunk.

Just a little update; nephew and girlfriend are getting married on 27 April. Twill be a bittersweet occasion, I suspect. DS and I went up to visit a couple of weeks ago and nephew was v v quiet, whether that's depression (likely) or an effect of the actual cancer on his brain, I don't know. He's normally a really outgoing young guy .

He starts his treatment 3 days after the wedding so they've had a pre-honeymoon in a lovely hotel which is something

I'm sure it will be a lovely wedding though incredibly sad.

The quietness may be a combination of things - and his personality may go through some big changes, so go with the flow on that.

I was diagnosed with a grade 3 glioma in 2004. Had surgery to remove most of it, then 6 weeks of radiotherapy to 'mop up' any remaining cancerous cells. That was five years ago, and I'm still here! Although last year the tumour returned and was put on chemo- the docs took a long time to decide whether they should do this in case I wouldn't survive long enough to see the benefits. I was pregnant at the time and had my son at 31 weeks so we both spent a long time in hospital!! The doctors didn't really think I'd make it out of hospital and had all but booked me a place in a hospice.
Don't give up hope. Brain tumours are tricky things to be sure, but I hope your nephew gets the most out of the life he has. Radiotherapy is pretty good. Apart from the permanent hair loss, there aren't many awful side effects. Tell your nephew to imagine the radiowaves killing the tumour cells; that's what I used to do!

I was diagnosed with a grade 3 glioma in 2004. Had surgery to remove most of it, then 6 weeks of radiotherapy to 'mop up' any remaining cancerous cells. That was five years ago, and I'm still here! Although last year the tumour returned and was put on chemo- the docs took a long time to decide whether they should do this in case I wouldn't survive long enough to see the benefits. I was pregnant at the time and had my son at 31 weeks so we both spent a long time in hospital!! The doctors didn't really think I'd make it out of hospital and had all but booked me a place in a hospice.
Don't give up hope. Brain tumours are tricky things to be sure, but I hope your nephew gets the most out of the life he has. Radiotherapy is pretty good. Apart from the permanent hair loss, there aren't many awful side effects. Tell your nephew to imagine the radiowaves killing the tumour cells; that's what I used to do!

Thanks, sajaruss, that's very encouraging, and congratulations!

(sorry for late response; this had dropped off my threads list). He starts his treatment today. The wedding was actually an incredibly joyful occasion; all the white wedding bells and whistles at just three weeks' notice - just shows you don't need a year and a half to organise a wedding! Church was packed,and we partied into the night