According to the article, a study done in Switzerland determined that Glioblastoma patients who took valproic acid (a common anti-epileptic drug) while taking chemo treatments fared better than patients who took other types of epileptic drugs or who did not take any type of epileptic drug at all.
I found this article very interesting because Ed, my step dad, took the drug Lyrica and Dilantin to control his seizures caused by his glioblastoma (brain tumor). To the best of my knowledge, Lyrica nor Dilantin do not contain valproic acid. I wonder, if he had taken valporic acid to help control his seizures, would he have lived a few months longer?
This article states that the average survival rate for glioblastoma patients is 15 months. Ed found out he had the brain tumor in November, 2008. He lived till April, 2010. So he lived about 16 months after diagnosis. Did his anti-seizure medications help him live longer?
I don't know the answer to any of my questions. But I know that even though he lived a bit longer than expected, his last month of life was not a high quality of living. His last month consisted of him being totally bed-ridden, totally depending on others for his toileting, eating, bathing, everything. I think he had his mind till the end, but he was trapped in a body that didn't respond to his needs or his wants. He couldn't sit up. He couldn't feed himself. He had to have a catheter and wear depends, and someone else had to change him, bathe and dress him.
If you or your loved one has Glioblastoma, I promise you, you will do whatever you can to make your symptoms or your loved one's symptoms less painful, and more endurable. Ed had seizures, so of course he was prescribed anti-seizure medications. Had we known this other drug was available and might extend his life, we more than likely would have asked for it. It may have helped him live a few more weeks or months longer. But I am not sure that would have been as ideal as it sounds.
'"If you are talking about a better quality of life for the time you have versus using a therapy that may prolong life for a month but decrease the quality of life, most patients choose quality of life, " Dr. Taylor says.' , states the article in Neurology Now. I must say, if I could live a month longer with increased mobility, clarity of mind, ability to communicate, etc., I believe it would be well worth taking the drug. Or even if my quality of life stayed the same with the drug while causing me to live longer, I would be happy with that. But if living a few weeks longer as a person in pain or frustration, it may not be worth it.
It's hard to know what I, or anyone, would choose in that situation. But at least the drug is out there, and the option is there if one chooses to take it. Perhaps with more research and testing, doctors will know more about the effects of valporic acid on the survival of Glioblastoma patients and will be able to offer that drug as another way to extend life, and hopefully improve quality of life.
