EBRT - sunbathing, water intake, iodine, kids

[AstronomyFan]

Hello,

I'm 70 years old and I've just started EBRT to prostate and seminal vesicles and have some questions:

1.) Is it safe to be sunbathing to parts that are not being irradiated?

2.) I know that I should drink a lot of water. Approximately how much water should I drink daily? I'm 5.7 ft (1.74 m) and 160 lbs (73 kg).

3.) Iodine is often taken as a protection against radiation. Would iodine tablets be helpful during EBRT? Or would they be counterproductive?

4.) Is it safe to be near small children approx. 1 hour after an EBRT session?

Thank you

[Tall_Allen]

1) It is impossible to get sun on your prostate

2) Drink when you are thirsty

3) Iodine protects your thyroid - you are not being irrradiated there

4) The X-rays are shot from the linac and absorbed by your prostate. Just as you do not emit lightbeams during or after sunbathing, you do not emit X-rays during or after the linac is turned off.

[Vynbal]

I believe you are conflating other bits of information with your PCa treatment, thus leading to your questions 3 and 4.

Radioactive fallout will contain Radioactive iodine isotopes. Iodine is naturally absorbed by the thyroid, and so exposure to nuclear fallout risks thyroid cancer. The point of iodine capsules is to overwhelm your system with safe, non-radioactive iodine, so the minute amount in the fallout won't be absorbed.

You may have heard about one form of PCa treatment- Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy (LDR-BT ) that involves placing seeds of Radioactive material in the prostate. With this therapy a small amount of radiation will be emitted by you and you should avoid close contact with children and pets. This is also true for Advanced PCa treatment that include Radioactive substances- Pluvicto, Zofigo, etc.