Cyberknife #2 Complete

I could have sworn that we were told that Cyberknife would take approximately 45 minutes. Now granted, it supposedly stops when the patient moves and starts up again when they are still. If that's the reason for the delay, E. must be one wiggly fellow because it is taking at least double the estimated time.

Today's Cyberknife session wasn't nearly as painful for E. He said it was still uncomfortable to lay on that back incision but it didn't cause the same pain as yesterday. He also didn't complain of the same splitting headache afterwards. He remarked that at some time during the treatment he could smell something burning. We sarcastically joked that maybe it was his brain.

We met with the radiation oncologist and were finally able to see pictures of E.'s latest MRI. The areas where the two tumors had been looked like gobstoppers with circles of colors all around them. When the Tumor Board was reviewing E.'s case for the possibility of Cyberknife, we had been told that they would be looking at the size of the cavities left behind after the tumors were removed. We knew that the original tumors were too large for Cyberknife, but were told that once they were removed, the cavities would shrink in the healing process. The cavities we saw on that MRI were still BIG! Like really big! The radiation oncologist explained that the cavities fill with fluid and the some of it may eventually be reabsorbed into the brain, but we were left with the impression that they would pretty much remain there forever. On a positive note, there was "nothing new" from the original MRI when E. first went to the emergency room (meaning no new cancer and no new suspicious spots).

When we first discussed Cyberknife, we were told that the typical course of treatment for patients with brain metastases consists of between three and five sessions. Today we found out that E. only needs three treatments. That means that tomorrow will be his third and final Cyberknife treatment. We also discussed the need for steroids or other medications. The radiation oncologist explained that frequently patients have side effects from the radiation or Cyberknife that require steroids and/or other medication. Many of the side effects are the direct result of swelling in the brain ... headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, seizures. If E. can manage to avoid all these side effects, he won't have to take the steroids or any additional medications. We'll be keeping an eye out though, because as is the case with most radiation patients, the side effects are cumulative and usually show up after treatment is all said and done.

As of right now, he's still feeling good. Woohoo!