Hi!
I'm new to this newsgroup, and I just wanted to introduce myself and tell
you a little about why I'm here.
My wife (who's 25 now) was diagnosed with a Anaplastic Astrocytoma in late
May of this year (1997). Unfortunately, it was in her left optic nerve so
it was discovered because her vision started to decay quickly - less than a
month, went from 20/40 to total blindness.
She was already blind in her *right* eye due to a Cranial Pharyngioma she
had in/near her pituitary/optic nerve area when she was 10. That was
successfully treated and she had no reoccurance....but it turns out it was
treated too well.
Apparently the tumor was surgically resected successfully. However, it was
also subjected to a full course of radiation therapy. Turns out (they know
now, but didn't know then) that radiation doesn't have much effect on CP's
of the type she had, and the risk/reward ratio leans heavily to risk,
because then the radation can cause mutation in her healthy cells.
Turns out the AA she has now is apparently the results of that mutation.
Well, we are not only struggling now with the treatments for this cancer
(she's completed 5400 rad of 5-field conformal radiation therapy - pushing
her way past the lifetime maximum and probably damaging her optic nerves
permanently, and she's now about to start cycle 3 of 6 for six-week PCV
therapy), but also her blindness. The doctors don't hold out much hope the
blindness will be healed to any extent, but they are cautiously hopeful
about the therapy, since the tumor was only .8 cm in diameter, and it was
growing much slower than they thought it would (might be mostly a lower
grade cancer instead of the AA, or just a lethargic AA). Worse comes to
worst, they might remove her optic nerves and possibly her eyes if they
have to, but so far have shied away from any surgical moves. I feel we've
got good doctors who aren't afraid to consult (with, for example, M.D.
Anderson in Houston, the great hospitals in Bethsida, others here, and
more) and have great technology (like the 5-field radiation).
It could always be worse, and we're always optimistic, but we're getting a
little nervous (the first post-treatement MRI is due in two weeks; we're
praying we'll see some shrinkage or (God willing) a clean nerve).
Anyhow, enough talk, now back to listening!
:)
Peter Kazmir
Austin, TX
--
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Peter A. Kazmir
Quality Assurance * Technical Services
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dazel Corporation
301 Congress Ave, Suite 1100, Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 494-7315 * Fax: (512) 494-7394 * Internet: pkazmir@dazel.com
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