Nephew diagnosed with Anaplastic Oligoastrocytoma help...

ednamae

My nephew is a 27 year old career officer in the US Navy. After two weeks of severe headaches his fiance took him to a hosiptal in downtown Washington. An X-ray indicated a large mass on his frontal lobe. He was immediately transferred to Bethesda Naval Hospital where an orange-sized tumor was removed the Tuesday before Christmas. Given the size of the tumor, and the fact it was self contained and did not appear to have intruded into brain tissue, it was thought to be benign, but he -- and we -- got the word today that it was in fact an Anaplastic Oligoastrocytoma.

The neurological staff at Bethesda and the NIH (where the diagnosis was confirmed) were amazed that such a large tumor was present with no previous symptomology other than the two weeks of headaches. At the time of surgery, the opinon was that the tumor must have grown very slowly. But in my reading today, this type of tumor was described as aggressive and basically uncurable due to a probability of regrowth.

This is a young man who loves the Navy and is in a profession he decided on at the age of 4. And he and his beautiful fiancee just decided on a June wedding date.

We know that radiation and chemo are in his immediate future. What can anyone tell me about the liklihood of successful treatment and long term outcome? Right now the whole family is shell-shocked by the diagnosis and looking for insight.

Thanks for any help you can give...
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Annie S

michelesmith · Experienced user Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 72

Ednamae,
I'm sorry to hear about the diagnosis of your nephew. I think you will find from reading the posts here, once thing is certain--there are few certainties concerning brain cancers. I am definitely not one with the information you are looking for but I wanted to offer my support and wish your nephew the best.

Michele
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Michele

brainman

Annie, I am so sorry to hear about your nephew. I had brain cancer in 1992 which was diagnosed as an Astrocytoma grade 2. I took chemo for one year and the cancer died. However, I had brain cancer again in the same location in 2005. This time, it was diagnosed as an Oligodendroglioma grade 3. This time, it was surgically removed followed by radiation therapy. My last treatment was in March 2006. I had an MRI in November and no recurrence could be detected.

I guess I am telling you this because there is good news and bad news. I am a 14+ year survivor of a cancer that is very much in the same family of cancers as your nephew. In fact, your nephew has a mixed glioma (a mixture of both of my cell cancers). They are both treatable. Depending on the grade, your nephew could still live many more years. That is the good news. The bad news is that his life will never be the same again. The odds of a recurrence for him and for me are high. His quality of life can still be good. I tell people that no one knows how long they have to live. Many people without cancer will die before I do (or before your nephew does). And cancer may not be the cause of our deaths. So, live every day as if it was your last. Help your nephew to live every day as if it was his last.

I will be thinking and praying for you and for your nephew.
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Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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