F.Y.I.

Here is some of the information I was able to scan on to the blog. More MRI's will follow as they become available.



The above MRI shows Bryon's head in August 2008 while under growing radiation therapy in preparation to take the oral chemotherapy drug called Temodar. It was the easiest form of chemo and the one with the least amount of side effects, but also showed very ineffective on treating the tumor. Bryon would have surgery to remove the tumor in January 2009 after it re-grew to a size just larger than a quarter. The tumor has been outlined in black. You are viewing his head from the back, and you can see how far up the tumor had to grow to reach his skull.

This is the previous MRI that the drug company was using as a base to compare how much the tumor would change every eight weeks. This was the first time the tumor reacted to the MPC (the acronym for the trial drug) and had showed significant reduction in size. Shape of the tumor is never consistent, but general location has stayed the same.

What is a glioblastoma anyway?

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and most aggressive type of primary brain tumor in humans, involving glial cells and accounting for 52% of all parenchymal brain tumor cases and 20% of all intracranial tumors. Despite being the most prevalent form of primary brain tumor, GBMs occur in only 2–3 cases per 100,000 people in Europe and North America. According to the WHO classification of the tumors of the central nervous system‎, the standard name for this brain tumor is "glioblastoma"; it presents two variants: giant cell glioblastoma and gliosarcoma. Glioblastomas are also an important brain tumor of the canine, and research is ongoing to use this as a model for developing treatments in humans.^[1] Treatment can involve chemotherapy, radiation radiosurgery, corticosteroids, antiangiogenic therapy, and surgery. ^[2]

Glioblastoma has a very poor prognosis, despite multimodality treatment consisting of open craniotomy with surgical resection of as much of the tumor as possible, followed by concurrent or sequential chemoradiotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy with bevacizumab, gamma knife radiosurgery, and symptomatic care with corticosteroids. Other than the brainstem gliomas, it has the worst prognosis of any CNS malignancy

Oh, by the way...

Bryon had a clean MRI yesterday. First time in 2 years. No biggie.



CONGRATS BRYON!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!


MRI series and info coming soon (we hope) so stayed tuned.

Computer Genius Wanted

I am so psyched about getting Bryon MRI's on the blog. I have a whole string of them that I would like to put on here for everyone, but I hit a few bumps right before I hit the brick wall. First off, my scanner, that I have only used once in it's entire existence, has died prematurely. No problem I have found there are other people who are willing to lend me their equipment. However, the MRI discs have special programs on them that do not want me to share the photos, so we are trying to print the photos out and scan them back into the computer...the discs didn't like that either. Maybe it was my email? my computer? or just me in general, but I know this can be done. Does anyone have any clue as to how to help me accomplish this?

February 3, 2010

It has been some time since the last post, but always keep in mind that no news is good news.

Bryon's chemo cycle started over again this past Monday, and we happen to find out some interesting news by trial and error. Bryon has been complaining that he feels more yucky than usual on his double chemo week. It is to be expected, but not when you have the best anti nausea medicine available. Turns out, it is in fact the anti nausea pills that are causing him to feel crappy. Not that he would like to try the alternative of going without them, but it is nice to know cause and effect. We have also learned Bryon is now becoming allergic to the MRI contrast. When conducting the last MRI, the process was interrupted when Bryon evacuated the contents of his stomach on to the floor (up chucked). No big deal, there are other contrasts to try, put one done for now.

As Spring is not quickly approaching, we find ourselves swimming in a pool of redundancy. Cabin fever has swept over us like a plague. Any kind of sunshine we can soak up gives minor relief. It is not that we don't have things to do, but rather we just don't want to do them. Several friends and family members have express their own concerns about their fever issues. It is nice to know that no one is suffering alone. Plenty of house work and unfinished projects are all around us. We may just have to buckle down and get it done. Then everything would be completed and we really would have reason to complain.

The next post is pending on my ability to run a scanner. I have a few MRI's to show off and even the actual measurements of the tumors growth pattern. Cross your fingers that I am able to work out this technical conundrum.