Just dx with metastasis in Brain...any advice?

Good Evening,

My Father-in-law had been having issues for over a year, but refused to go see a doctor. My husband made a heartfelt letter and his father went. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer after biopsy in August. He started hormonal therapy as it had already spread to his bones. He was in an incredible amount of pain and eventually could not get out of bed. He has never been sick and would not take the painkillers. An ER visit confirmed it had spread to his spine and without radiation he would be paralyzed within 6 days without radiation. Radiation for over a week and he was feeling better, but still not able to walk without assistance. Woke up this morning to him being confused. My mother-in-law took him to the ER where an MRI confirmed it had spread to his brain. An EEG was just performed. Although I work in Healthcare (administrative), I do not have any knowledge of cancer (thankfully). We live in NJ and want to take him to Sloan, however they need al records before accepting him. Does anyone have any positive stories of someone living a semi-normal life when the cancer is this advanced? Right now they are offering radiation for the brain, however we really just want to get him to Sloan for the second opinion. Thank you everyone for reading this and continue to fight!! You are all inspirations!!

Welcome to HW, sorry you're father-in-law is having to deal with this. That's a very advanced case. In most cases HT buys time, but it is a palliative treatment. Radiation can help with the localized mets. There are chemo options, but you need to get to someplace like Sloan for that. There is a chance that chemo can buy him more time, and possibly a better quality of life.

There is always hope, and examples of men surviving for many years with advanced PC.

But each case is different and you have to balance hope with what can realistically be done.

Peace,
Andrew

JkorourkeRN for husband said...
So sorry to hear this you are in my thoughts my brother in law had amazing success with radiation for mets to the brain Best of luck to you and your family

Very sorry to hear about this. Tis post from JK maybe gives some hope? May it be so.

SBRT i.e. stereotactic radiation to the brain has less side effects than whole brain radiation. This study concludes:
Among patients with 1 to 3 brain metastases, the use of stereotactic radiosurgery alone, compared with stereotactic radiosurgery combined with whole brain radiotherapy, resulted in less cognitive deterioration at 3 months. In the absence of a difference in overall survival, these findings suggest that for patients with 1 to 3 brain metastases amenable to radiosurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery alone may be a preferred strategy. HTH

George