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Stereotactic Radiosurgery Surgery (Gamma or Cyberknife) for Meningioma
Brain Tumor | Last Active: Jun 8 7:21pm | Replies (63)Comment receiving replies
Hello. Hope everybody's feeling good and hopefully better.
I had 2 surgeries to remove my brain tumor at Torrance Memorial Hospital, California. The first was in Jan 2018, followed with whole brain radiation Apr-June 2018. My 2nd surgery was last Oct 2019, I was 63 years old then. Both biopsies concluded that I have Grade II or Atypical, recurring meningioma. I had been on MRI follow up studies every 3 to 6 months since after my first surgery.
After my 2nd surgery, I saw a different neurosurgeon in San Diego for a second opinion. He recommended Cyberknife Surgery. I've been in touch with him and the Cyberknife Radiology Oncologist since Dec. 2019. I do understand the principles behind cyberknife treatment, its protocol and each step.
My latest MRI last week showed that I have a recurrence on the first resection site, and 2 new tumors, so I now have a total of 3 areas of concern rather than just one.
Since I have more than 1 tumor to remove, I am thinking that each will have to be treated separately, meaning I will have to go to the cyberknife's cycle 3 times. Can there be someone there who can confirm if my hunch is correct?
I am yet to hear from my doctors in the next 2 weeks but I need to know for personal planning. I retired late in late 2018 and had since lived in Guam (US Trust Territory in the Pacific) and will have to fly to San Diego for the treatment.
Thank you very much in advance.
Replies to "Hello. Hope everybody's feeling good and hopefully better. I had 2 surgeries to remove my brain..."
I haven't had cyber knife radiation, but I had gamma knife radiation in 2017 on 2 meningiomas that were recurrences from a meningioma I had surgically removed in 2001. My original meningioma in 2001 was 5cm, about the size of a small orange. I had the surgery in Atlanta and my neurosurgeon felt he got all of it. The recurrences were actually small tails from the original tumor that were too small to be seen during the surgery.
One of the benefits of gamma knife radiation is that it can treat multiple brain tumors in one session. One of my tumors that recurred was very elongated in shape. It went from behind my eye to behind my nose. Because it was not "round" and compact like the "typical" meningioma, I was in the gamma knife machine for 2 1/2 hours. They programmed slightly overlapping spheres of radiation to treat the elongated shape and also treated the roundish shape meningioma at the same time. I have had follow up MRI's in each year since 2017. In 2018 and 2019, the recurrences were stable. They had not gotten any larger and one was a fraction smaller. I had an MRI last week in Atlanta for my 2020 annual follow up and I've sent the CD to my doctor at Mayo in Rochester and I am waiting for his evaluation.
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Hi @mmbaluyut, welcome to the Brain Tumor group. You'll notice that I moved your message to this discussion about Stereotactic Radiosurgery Surgery (Gamma or Cyberknife) for meningiomas. I did this so you can connect with other members who have had this treatment with multiple meningiomas, like @pegorr @lindajean @cindyt63 @jill333 @07ram @nancirae @jmb73 and others.
While we wait for others to respond to your question about treatment of multiple tumors with SRS, you might also wish to review these related discussions:
- multiple meningioma brain tumors https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/brain-tumors/
- Multiple Meningiomas https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/multiple-meningiomas/
- Meningiomas. Gamma knife or Cyber Knife. Which is more effective? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/meningeomas-gamma-knife-or-cyber-knife-which-is-more-effective/
- Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for meningioma, right trigeminal nerve https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/meningioma-brain-tumor-on-right-trigeminal-nerve/
Naturally, you'll want to know how long you will need to be at the hospital for treatment to properly plan your travel and accommodation. Can you not call sooner to find out the plan?