Gamma knife therapy for brain metastasis

Yesterday I had my gamma knife radio-surgery for my brain metastasis from my clear cell kidney cancer at MD Anderson Cancer center in Houston Texas. It was a breeze. Gamma knife is an approach where high dose radiation is given to a single area (or multiple single areas) in the brain at a single session. A specialized MRI-called a volumetric MRI gives a three-dimensional view of the grain lesions (s),. The beams of radiation are focused on the abnormal tissue. Each of the individual beams provides a relatively small, harmless dose of radiation yet, when the beams converge on the target, the radiation is very powerful. I had a lightweight headpiece, made of titanium (just like my bike frame) screwed into my skull under local anesthesia. I only felt the sting of the local anesthetic going in. This was to make sure that my head did not move during the radiation treatment. I was able to eat while I had the head-fame on as I was waiting for treatment to begin. Gamma knife is one of 3 basic types of stereo-tactic radio-surgery that can be used to treat brain mets. The others are
- Linear accelerator (LINAC) machines, found in many area around the world. They deliver high-energy x-rays, also known as photons. The linear accelerator can do radiosurgery on larger tumors in a single session or during multiple sessions, which is called fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy. There are manufacturers make this type of machine, which have brand names such as Novalis Tx™, XKnife™, and CyberKnife®.
Proton beam or heavy-charged-particle radiosurgery
Each system of treatment has advantages for certain types and location of lesions. More detailed information can be obtained on http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=stereotactic
With the large number of metastatic sites that can be treated with the gamma knife (another patient being treated the same day as I was being treated for 20 brain mets from lung cancer. His treatment took 4 hours mine took 30 minutes) I would highly favor using this kind of radiation for brain mets over whole brain radiation. As the major dose of radiation-I had 20Gy to each of 2 lesions-is directed in a 3-d conformational fashion-most of the brain is spared a major dose of radiation. Thus side effects, such as neurological changes, are less than when using whole brain radiation (WBR). I will have an MRI in one month to see what response I have had to the gamma knife. If I develop new brain mets than I can have additional radio-surgery treatments as needed. This is another advantage over WBR.
I was able to go back to my hotel near MD Anderson after the treatment. Today I feel fine with only some soreness at the sites of the screws that were placed into my skull. I made sure that I have no loose screws left! I have included a gallery of pictures from my gamma knife session. I thank my fellow patient and my radiation oncologist for allowing me to use their pictures.
<img src="http://drkens.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/dscn16712.jpg?w=300" alt="" title="titanium frame for gamma knife" width="300" height=”214″ class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-210″ />

Titanium frame for gamma knife treatment

gamma knife titanium full frame for MRI

nothing stops me from eating

my fellow cancer warrior,Neil, getting treatment for 20 brain mets from lung cancer

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