Radiation to the chest (thorax / mediastitum) area?

[mklc]

Has anyone had radiation to the chest area? Specifically the mediastitum?

PSMA scan shows 2 or 3 small Lymph Nodes in the area. No other area in the body shows any prostate cancer.

If you have had the radiation, please let me know:

1) have you had any side effects

2) was the radiation treatment successful

My treatment will be 15 sessions in 3 weeks.

Thank you very much and good health to you all. Mike

[Tall_Allen]

What did the RO say about the risk?

[mklc in reply to Tall_Allen]

Hi Allen,

The RO said possible side effects:

1) heartburn sensation

2) dry cough /

3) minor fatigue

4) radiation menitus 10% : lung gets inflamed from the radiation. If this develops it will be between 1 to 6 months AFTER the radiation.

Best regards, Mike

[dentaltwin in reply to mklc]

Radiation pneumonitis?

[mklc in reply to dentaltwin]

Yes the RO said there is a 10% chance of this. So fingers crossed.

[Tall_Allen in reply to mklc]

It is impossible to have cancer in chest lymph nodes and nowhere else. Once the cancer is outside of the pelvic lymph node drainage area, it is systemic. The single report of progression benefit was only on 36 men in the treatment group and 18 men in the control group, and I don't know yet if any of them had non-pelvic cancerous lymph nodes (the full report hasn't yet been published). Also, they all had metastases large enough to show up in a bone scan/CT. We have no evidence of survival benefit. The SBRT used in that trial increased the T-cell count, but I can't say whether 15 smaller treatments would do the same (probably not). In short, the evidence for benefit is weak, but that is just the evidence. In a recent study of oligometastatic radiation, 5 people died from complications due to radiation of the thorax: radiation pneumonitis, pulmonary abscess, and subdural hemorrhage from surgery to repair a perforated gastric ulcer. Discuss with your RO whether you are at risk for any of those things. You have to decide whether it is worth the risk for you.

[mklc in reply to Tall_Allen]

Hi Allen,

Can you please give me the name of the studies that you refer to.

So I can discuss with my RO.

I am having hypofractionated course of radiotheraphy directed to my mediastinal region.

This is not an SBRT technique but is more fractionated approach delivered over 3 weeks.

Is my treatment the same as the one you mentioned?

Many thanks. Mike

[Tall_Allen in reply to mklc]

Here's my analysis of the study. There was only a press release of the actual study so far:

pcnrv.blogspot.com/2019/04/...

The immune-enhancing effect seems to be related to extreme hypofractionation:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

redjournal.org/article/S036...

redjournal.org/article/S036...

thegreenjournal.com/article...

Moderate fractionation is better than conventional fractionation:

ro-journal.biomedcentral.co...

[mklc in reply to Tall_Allen]

I will read these very carefully.

Sincere thanks. Mike

[judg69]

Hi mklc, I had maximum radiation to my chest/lungs 7 1/2 years ago with minimum side effects. Treatment was for lung cancer and was combined with lobectomy of top right lung lobe and over 2 years of chemo. I was IIIA/B lung cancer and had a projected 5 year life expectancy of about 10%. I beat the odds . Best Wishes, judg69

[mklc in reply to judg69]

Hi Judge69,

Where did you have the radiation done ie. which hospital?

If you could let me know what side effects?

That's such fantastic news...thank you so much for sharing this positive news.

Best regards, Mike

[j-o-h-n in reply to judg69]

Congrats on beating the 5 year one... now make sure you eventually will be user judg89....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 09/26/2019 6:50 PM DST