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A genius medical technique I just found out about

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Trauma-san:
Unfortunately, last wedensday, my mom was diagnosed with Cancer.  4 years ago, she survived colon cancer, but refused Chemo... well the cancer returned, and she found out wednesday she has a tumor in her brain, liver cancer, and three spots in her lungs.

Well, which would you think would be the most severe? 





My first impression was that the liver wouldn't be all that important (since I know that the liver can regenerate), the 3 spots in the lungs wouldn't be that important, and that the Brian tumour would be catastrophic.



So, I started talking with the doctors, what I found out was startling.

First off, Liver cancer is basically incurable and most people are dead within 2 years of finding it.  That's probably what she's got to look forward to....

The three spots in the lungs aren't that big of a deal...

and get this about brain cancer.  She has a tumour in her brain, the size of a lima bean, which is cancerous and growing, it spread there from her Colon.

Now, check out how they treat the thing.

They have a procedure called Stereotactic Radiosurgery, where they take a frame (like a helmet or something) and bolt it to your head.  They make small incisions in your forehead, and then drill a tiny dent in your skull.  It's pretty much painless... they make 4 of these, then bolt a helmet to your forehead and scalp.  It sounds horrible but it's not really that big of a deal.

Then, they take an MRI of your brain, with the frame on.  This tells them exactly where the tumour is.

Then, they bolt the frame (and your head!) to a table. 

They have a radioactive beam that they shoot through one side of your head, through the tumour.  It basically sends radiation to every brain cell that it touches...

Then, they move the arm slightly, and do it again... so every brain cell gets a dose of radiation... however, the genius of it is, when they turn the arm, they shoot in a different angle, but through the same tumour.  So while every brain cell in your head nearly gets radiation, the tumour gets radiation 100 or 1000 times.  The end result is all of the non-cancerous cells get 1 dose of radiation while the tumour gets fried.

Success rate is 90% with 1 treatment, and the treatment itself is painless. 

GENIUS.  Whoever thought that up deserves some sort of prize or something. 

Anyways, I'll let everybody know what happens with the liver cancer and what miracle they try to pull with it. 

coola:
sorry to hear about your mum, i hope the treatment helps her.

i didnt know liver cancer was so fatal, and i have heard of treatments for brain tumor's where they inject a small amount of a type of scorpion venom directly into the brain ( it hones in on cancerous cells ), the venom has some radiation (or some crazy jargen) attached to it, and when it attaches itself to the cancerous cell, it releases the radiation... something along those lines. with this treatment no healthy brain cells are damaged..

how they know this works, or how they discovered it, is beyond me..

Sikotic™:
I'm sorry about your mom. My aunt has liver cancer and they gave her a similar diagnosis. They told her she has 2 years left, but she's near the end of her 2nd year and doing great, even gaining weight and whatnot. So you never know man.

That procedure you're talking about is crazy. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel. It's amazing how far technology has come. I wish they had this stuff when my grandmother had brain cancer 10 years ago.

I hope the treatment goes well for her.

Just Another Sunny day in California:
i'm sorry bro, good luck to your mom & your entire family on this.

Trauma-san:
Well, it's kind of a mental marathon.  At first, you're devastated, but then when you step back a little bit and open your eyes, it gets easier.  The first thing I noticed was I'm fine... I'll be around 30 or 40 years from now.  The only reason I'm feeling pain about it is, it's my own selfishness.  I'm upset because my mom is dying, because I won't see her, me me me.  In reality, there's nothing wrong with me, I have no reason to be all upset and torn up, I should be more concerned with how she feels.  So it's hard to go through, but when it gets bad I just keep that in mind and try not to be selfish, it helps me cope. 

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