Brainstem Cancer Stage IV: She Couldn’t Chew Her Food and Was Almost Blind

A decade ago, Madam Risna was unable to eat as she had no control over closing her mouth, thereby resulting in the inability to chew her food. Her body weight declined rapidly to 36kg in a matter of weeks, and her eyesight was also affected to the point that she was almost blind.

These symptoms were the result of a cyst lesion at cerebellum-brainstem malignant tumor, resulting in severe hydrocephalus. A cerebrospinal fluid drainage (shunting) tube had been inserted a year earlier, but the cerebrospinal fluid continued to build up.

The tumor mass in the pineal position continued to grow to a diameter of more than 6 cm, compressing the cerebellum and brain stem. The situation was critical, and her hope and the only ray of light came in the form of ECCT as she began her ECCT treatment in 2013. Her condition gradually improved every year. The results of the last MRI scan done in 2021 showed that the tumor mass has now become a liquid cyst, a quarter of the size of the original tumor in 2013.

Today was the first time Dr. Warsito met Madam Risna together with her mother and husband. Now "I can chew the head!" exclaimed Madam Risna excitedly, in which she actually meant that she could chew the head of a fish at the dinner table!

She brought along a gift that she had prepared 8 years ago for Dr. Warsito, and she was utterly grateful to him for all that he had done for her.

May Madam Risna remain healthy and bubbly as always!