Radiotherapy in difficult spots

[SC19]

Hi there, my dad is currently in hospital with severe sciatica type pain in his lower back and groin. He’s waiting to get stronger painkillers but ideally he wants radiotherapy on the spot that’s causing the pain. However his doctor has told him he’s not over keen on radiating the spot as it’s ‘close to major organs’ and may cause other damage. Should we push for radiotherapy anyway? Has anyone had a similar experience? Thanks.

[MarkS]

Is your doctor a clinical oncologist who specialises in radiotherapy? If not, I would find someone who is. For instance, I saw an excellent clinical oncologist consultant at GenesisCare near Portsmouth. You may need to go privately for the consultation if you can afford it. You get much more time and individual care than through the NHS.

[Conlig1940]

Hi , I will soon be turning 85 . My 1st SEVERE sciatica attack was in November 2027 , my 2nd , on the opposite sidde early this year . Have your dad get an - Epidural Steriod Injection ( Cordicosteriod ) . It will work wonders and kill the infection creating the pain . Some . out of date doctors , oppose any steriod injections . Get one who will not .

It also solved my rotor cuff problem during my early forties golfing career .

Formerly from N.Ireland 60 plus years ago .

[TJGuy]

Hi I had a pelvic lymph node light up in 2023, I spoke with doctors at two different cancer hospitals due to the location. It was in a sensitive location along my ureter and along my colon. So all doctors expressed the possible injury to those two. Also I spoke with a cryotherapy doctor who told me that cryo would almost certainly cause damage.

So I went with Mayo SBRT three sessions in three days, I'm forgetting the term right now for the style of radiation, possibly adaptive? But I received scanning before each session and during the middle of the SBRT session as well to confirm everything was exactly where it should be. One time my colon moved and the session was stopped I had to walk around bend at the waist and then the radiation planning was performed again. So radiation planning was performed each session but it was done twice this session. It worked, I had no issues at all, or any symptoms from the radiation.

[TJGuy in reply to TJGuy]

Also if you go to a hospital that has proton radiation, this is typically used in very sensitive areas such as the brain.Proton radiation is like a fourth of July fireworks, it gives up all it's energy at a specific spot. It helps prevent injury to other tissue.

Regular photon radiation is like a bullet that travels through your body, hits your radiation target, but keeps traveling through the body, hitting other places.

Proton radiation is usually only found at some major cancer centers.

Hope this helps

[SC19 in reply to TJGuy]

It does help thank you so much for the info

[SC19]

Thank you all very much for your knowledge. They are going to give him steroids and he will have radiotherapy on L2 and L3 as his doctor is concerned if they were left it could cause spinal compression which is scaring me. My concern is if, for whatever reason, it doesn’t work or if it comes back - will they be able to try again? Or is radiotherapy for this reason normally very effective? Thanks in advance from a stressed daughter.