On the morning of December 30, 2021, the Department of Neurosurgery of the Cancer Prevention and Control Center of Sun Yat-sen University conducted a routine medical round. After seeing ms. Luo, a patient in a 1 bed, Professor Mu Yongzhi of Neurosurgery smiled and asked her husband, "How did you get a bald head?" "I'll accompany her!" Hearing this answer, everyone laughed!
The two were photographed before the operation
In 2015, Ms. Luo underwent two surgeries for breast cancer, and after the operation, she received chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and endocrine therapy, and her hair fell out. Who knows the fate of the ill-fated, in early December 2021, she had limb convulsions without obvious causes, accompanied by dizziness, vomiting, MR examination found a single huge brain metastases, requiring surgery. Happily, her husband has been with him for seven years and has taken great care of him.
Seven days after the operation, Ms. Luo took a group photo with her husband before being discharged from the hospital
What is the condition of a tumor in the breast that grows to the lungs and then to the brain? It is understood that brain metastases are solid lesions formed by tumor cells of extracranial malignancies (such as lung cancer, breast cancer, intestinal cancer, melanoma, etc.) entering the skull from the primary site and growing, and some will also metastasize to the skull, meninges and spinal cord tissue. Brain metastases are single or multiple, with a population incidence of 8.3 per 100,000 person-years, and in people aged 65 to 74 years, the incidence is as high as 53.7 per 100,000 person-years. Melanoma, lung cancer and breast cancer are predisposed. 48% of lung cancer patients ,including non-small cell and small cell lung cancer) develop brain metastases during the course of the disease.
If unfortunately, the tumor has metastasized, in addition to maintaining an optimistic and upward attitude like Ms. Luo and her wife, and actively facing life, you also need to pay attention to the following points:
Early detection, early diagnosis
Common symptoms:
Most patients with brain metastases have a history of malignancy, and some patients have brain metastases as the first symptom.
Increased intracranial pressure: most patients present with headache, mostly in the early morning. Some brain metastases are larger, or the perigma edema is severe, and the clinical progression is rapid, and patients may have headache, vomiting, optic nerve papilledema, and even hernia.
Focal nerve function symptoms: The function of brain tissue domination in different parts is different, so the symptoms caused by tumors that occur in different parts of the skull are also different. Hemiplegia or limited mobility, epilepsy, aphasia, paresthesia, decreased vision, poor localization and mental abnormalities are also common symptoms.
Tumor stroke: acute stroke manifestations may occur in about 5% of patients because the tumor may bleed.
Symptoms associated with primary tumors outside the skull: such as symptoms related to lung cancer such as cough and hemoptysis.
When the above conditions occur, timely medical examination, early diagnosis, so as not to delay treatment.
Early treatment
It is undeniable that although the overall prognosis of patients with brain metastases is worse than that of cancer patients who have not developed brain metastases, this does not mean that brain metastases are terminally ill. Clinically, we actively use advanced examination technology to monitor the condition, according to the patient's age, systemic condition, nerve function status, primary tumor site and treatment, whether there are multiple metastases other than the brain, the number, size and location of brain metastases and other factors, can improve the quality of life, prolong the survival time, and eventually long-term survival of patients are also large, and even have the possibility of cure. Brain metastases are treated in internal medicine (targeted, immune, chemotherapy), radiotherapy, surgery, etc. For patients with large tumor volume, obvious symptoms of increased brain pressure, and unclear pathology, surgery can be taken. The Department of Neurosurgery of the Cancer Prevention and Control Center of Sun Yat-sen University performed brain metastase surgery in 337 patients in the department from 2010 to 2018, with a 2-year survival rate of 50.2% after surgery and 23.4% after surgery, and some cases survived for more than 10 years. "Tumors have become chronic, and brain metastases can become chronic." Professor Mou said at the conclusion of the recent meeting of the China Brain Metastase Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment Collaborative Group.
With the rapid development of medical science and technology, a variety of new treatment methods and new drugs continue to be available, and everyone's understanding of tumors has been further deepened, and this stubborn disease will eventually be cured.
Text/Guangzhou Daily, Xinhuacheng Reporter: Ren Shanshan Correspondents: Chen Xun, Zhao Xianting
Guangzhou Daily New Flower City Editor: Wu Ling