Afternoon fellow warriors, after a recent Pet scan they have found 2 spots one on my upper spine and the other on my neck.My Oncologist is worried having radiotherapy on my neck maybe to close to the spinal cord should I be worried that this is the case.
She is suggesting I just move into a different medication instead of having any radiotherapy.
3yrs ago I had radiotherapy which do mostly to been my fault I ended up with a Spinal fracture on that spot in my lower Lumbar, was trying to lift something too heavy only a couple of months later.
Anyone else had radiotherapy therapy in their neck with or without problems.
Many thanks
Gary
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Chubby42
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It depends what needs to be radiated, Proton therapy is not always the best choice. You should talk to a radiation oncologist offering SBRT radiation and ask him if he can radiate this met. Your MO is no expert in radiation.
Hi guys, not sure I have access to Proton Beam therapy I think they use that for Brain cancers, it pretty expensive I've read.I'm really trying to find out if having radiotherapy to my neck has anymore problems or risks associated with it compared to having it on my Lumbar or Thoracic spine.
SBRT with careful selection of radiation dose in 2 to 3 fractionation can be very safe. While waiting for SBRT, it i can help to take "bone essential supplement" ( amazon) and turmeric. I hope you are already on bone forming meds such as Alendronate or Boniva etc. Yogurt and ViD3+K2 is necessary if can not have at least 1/2 hour bright sunlight every day.
Turmeric strenghtens bones . A small amount of Boron is also needed but I get sufficient necessary bone related micro nutrients from @ "Bone essential Supplement available at Amazon. Bone micronutrients increase bone formation and bone strenghth.
Generally, I would avoid radiation of any form around the head and neck area. You won't be cured and you'll invite all sorts of SEs to deal with.It's a gamble.
"... avoid radiation of any form around the head and neck area. You won't be cured and you'll invite all sorts of SEs to deal with.It's a gamble."
It must not be that risky. My RO's skill was spoken of with awe, and he was the Executive Medical Director of our local hospital chain. His card said "Specializes in: Tumors of brain and spine. Cancers of head and neck." His reputation must have been based on success.
See Grandma's post below. Also, my wife is a 20+ year survivor of head and neck cancer. I know the SEs of Radiation to that area from her and others while taking her to follow up appts. If it's not curative, then beware of the SEs you may experience.
He got the ultimate side effect, from not completing radiation for throat cancer in 2009.
He had claustrophobia, feared the iron mask, and only accepted a few radiation treatments, with no side effects. Eighteen months later, he accepted a couple of quick ER palliative "quad packs" to his neck to shrink the tumor, which caused temporary skin burns. A few months after that, the tumor pain could not be controlled, and he was afraid it would rupture and drown him. He had been getting hospice visits but still living alone and driving. He got permission to enter in-patient, so I drove him to the facility where he got deep sedation and died a week later.
To the point, radiation today is nothing like 20 or 15 years ago. Back then his beam was so wide and unfocussed that the rest of the head was protected with a metal face mask. I doubt that is needed with today's precision guided and focused IMRT and SBRT.
Drandma husband had a face mask...that was recently. I'm not as cavalier regarding the SEs of any radiation around the head and neck. I've met people who had radiation for tumors on there aorta that led to xerostomia and lost of taste. That was within the last 5 years.
We could go back and forth on this but I'll just end my last response with my opinion, unless it's curative or absolutely needed, I'd avoid radiation to the head and neck.
So I looked up radiation mask for head cancers, and they are plastic mesh to position the head. My brother referred to an iron mask, but was a literary type and must have been referring to the Count of Monte Cristo. Plastic mesh would not be protective against radiation, so I was wrong on that.
I'm hoping it will get rid of the spot on both my neck & spine.It worked last time on my Lumbar spine and my cancer hadn't returned for just over 3 yrs so I'm hoping for similar results.
Your cancer was always all over your body. Maybe radiation to the largest visible mets slowed it down, maybe not - we just have insufficient data. If it is safe to irradiate - why not? But in your case, it is apparently unsafe. So given that we know for sure that systemic therapy does slow it down, that is your best option.
My PET found 4 spots in upper spine. They decided against radiation because one was too close to the espophagus. It was an all or nothing deal I guess. Just ADT and 2nd gen for me since.
I am sorry for that finding!! the link provided by GP24 is a starting point, However, I don't think any amount of Google or pubmed research will give you a definitive answer . Instead , maybe devote effort to finding the 1-2 accessible ROs who seem to have the most experience with SBRT applied to those 2 areas? Ask for their results with those 2 areas, and for any studies they feel are relevant for your case.....whichever way, yes or no, they advise. Withing the significant limitations of the link provided by GP24, there is certainly some hope that treatment could be beneficial...but the study is certainly not definitive IMHO. Most basic, too few participants!!! And not specific to your areas of concern.
Maybe you can post what you learn from some top ROs you consult?
I am not a doctor, but I want to pass on to you my findings. I have had a spine "sore spot" that comes and goes at my upper spine, T7? for several (six?) years. I have not had scans yet for it because my self-treating seems to kill it. (No pain, no scan.) I self-treat it with heat and lycopene intake when pain/inflammation occurs. I describe it in my bio. You might consider doing likewise, considering the danger of RT.
My husband had SBRT to the C2 a year ago. They make a mold and you have a cage fitted over your head and chest attached to a table during radiation. Even with such careful planning, he experienced terrible side effects - blisters all in his mouth and throat and couldn’t eat. He decided after that treatment not to treat the other known places - L3, hilar lymph node and a node in his peritoneal area. He has been on Lupron and Abiterone Acetate with prednisone and his PSA has been nondetectable for a year. Good luck to you
You need to meet with a top radiation oncologist. I just had a hilar node in my chest treated with sbrt protons by Dr Rossi at California protons, that node sat on the pulmonary artery near the esophagus and spinal cord and beneath the right lung and because of the ability to stop the proton particles at the site of the tumor and the very small entrance dose and zero exit dose he was able to avoid damaging the pulmonary artery and other structures and deposit a very small amount of radiation on a small area of the lung. It has been 6 months I have zero side effects. He also has treated several other spots years previously and I also have zero side effects from those treatments. You have a valid concern about treating spinal metastases because if they are allowed to grow they can eventually cause paralysis, radiation if done safely has the ability to eliminate those metastases. Doesn't mean you won't get more in the future nor will it cure your cancer,but it does mean you've eliminated the possibility that these metastases could cause you serious side effects if allowed to grow.
I had SBRT to a rib and the C5 vertebrae high in my neck (along with ADT, Nubeqa, and Chemo) for BCR two years ago. Short term side effects were not too bad - sore throat, some loss of voice, but it all cleared up since. It seems to have worked well for me as the Pca has been undetectable since. These things are complicated and subject to our own specific circumstances. This forum helps, but little downside to seeking a 2nd opinion from a specialist.
Hi PGDuan, thanks for the reply sounds very similar to me, I have met with a radio Oncologist and him along with other Oncologists have agreed that the radiotherapy is the best course of action right now, glad you are doing well and continue to do so.Cheers
I now nothing about the location or size of your neck tumor. My wife had cancer in tonsil and bottom of tongue which required radiation and chemotherapy. The chemo was Carboplatin, a nasty test of survival on its own. The radiation had side effects of reduction of saliva, diminished taste, sensitivity to heat/cold/spicy sensation. Also swallowing difficulties. there was some improvement over time but all issues appear to be lifelong. In her case the cancer was cured so the difficulty was worth the cost. If it had not been a likely cure it is almost certain it would not have been recommended or accepted by the patient if there was such a recommendation.
Thanks for the replies everyone, I have met with a radio Oncologist and him along with other Oncologists have agreed that the radiotherapy is the best course of action right now, just hope the side effects aren't too bad the RO said it should be minimal but worth the effort.
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