TwoOwners

TwoOwners t1_iww8kf6 wrote

Thank you for your reply and the readings. I do remember this information from 5 years ago but rereading brought back the quick defeat we were facing. My father was 80 and quickly became directionless as his first symptom. A week later 2 large tumors were found. A $10k operation to remove them, yes we have health insurance here in Australia, and a month later he died with two more growing. Perhaps the removal prevented a harsh death as his was painless, to watch anyway. What I didn't know was the mean age at diagnosis is 64! So at my age of 62, your comment 'don't delay' seems reasonable, is that what you meant? For this 'early intervention' idea to work, as with all cancers, I need to: have immediate relevant brain scans based on my family hx, have said scans ? yearly, stay vigilant for symptoms.. not easy as reduced executive functioning is insidious, and at the first sign of a tumor, get access to the vaccine. The window of opportuniy to get this vaccine seems very small, but the research results say it is achievable. I've never been convinced about delaying inevitable death, especially from brain tumors, but that is a more philosophical question. When I'm faced with the decision I may alter my view. Sorry for the rant.

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TwoOwners t1_iwtqmi7 wrote

Sorry if i sounded negative, but it is a severe and quicky spreading cancer. Is it the case the vaccine is given before the cancer is detected ie as with covid vaccines, to slow its progression if you get it? If so, when would it be offered and to whom? Obviously that's a risk decision and I would be a candidate given my father died from it. Also my point really is that living with glyioblastoma growing in your brain for many years doesn't sound like a pleasant end of life journey.

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TwoOwners t1_iwtjeg0 wrote

So instead of dying quickly and fairly painlessly, like my father did 4 yrs ago, you get to have a prolonged (5 yr?) dying period on chemo. Sounds just great. He chose surgery which removed his ability to speak and by the time it healed he had three more tumours. ' Prolongs dying term ' is a better headline.

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