- With Mayo Clinic medical oncologist
Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
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Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
"As a practicing medical oncologist, I meet with patients and families every day to help manage their course through this disease called cancer. This experience provides unique insight into the needs of cancer patients, their families and loved ones and brings into sharp focus the need for reliable information to be readily available in terms that can be easily understood." — Dr. Timothy Moynihan
Dr. Timothy Moynihan believes that providing consumers accurate, timely information on the broad, complex topic of cancer is the biggest challenge facing medical Web sites. As the guiding force behind our cancer coverage, he makes sure Mayo Clinic meets the test.
Dr. Moynihan, born in Las Vegas, N.M., but raised in Denver, is a consultant in medical oncology at Mayo Clinic and an associate professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice and palliative care medicine. He did his medical oncology training at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and then went on to the University of Minnesota and St. Paul Regions Medical Center in St. Paul, Minn., for seven years before moving to Mayo Clinic in 1999. Dr. Moynihan is director of the palliative care program at Mayo Clinic and associate medical director of the Mayo Clinic hospice.
Dr. Moynihan currently serves as the education chair for the Department of Medical Oncology and fellowship program director. Four times he has been selected as Teacher of the Year in medical oncology and elected to the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame. Past honors include distinguished clinical teacher at the University of Minnesota Medical School, best internist at the Medical College of Wisconsin and recipient of The Upjohn Achievement Award for Excellence in Medicine. He serves on several national committees for the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
"The Internet provides a ready source of information on a wide range of topics of interest to those affected by cancer," Dr. Moynihan says. "The difficulty is trying to decide which sites provide reputable information and which information is relevant to each individual patient. The long history and tradition of excellence associated with Mayo Clinic assures you that information provided will be reliable, up-to-date and comprehensive."
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Question
Small cell lung cancer: Can brain radiation prevent spread?
My husband has small cell lung cancer and has just finished his fourth round of chemotherapy. His doctors have suggested preventive radiation therapy to his brain. Is this something that is commonly done? What is the benefit?
Answer
from Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
Unfortunately, individuals who have a complete remission of small cell lung cancer have a high risk of the cancer eventually spreading (metastasizing) to the brain. Giving radiation to the brain before this happens — referred to as prophylactic cranial irradiation — significantly reduces this risk.
However, radiation to the brain is not without its risks. Common short-term side effects include fatigue, hair loss, nausea and vomiting, and memory loss. Long-term side effects may include memory loss, confusion and difficulty concentrating.
Your husband and his oncologist must weigh the potential risks and benefits of such treatment in your husband's specific situation. For some people, radiation is worthwhile to prevent disease from spreading to the brain. Others may want to avoid the side effects of preventive brain radiation and take a wait-and-see approach to the need for such treatment.
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