Radiation for bone mets--any advice?

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AngieD
AngieD Member Posts: 493
in Breast Cancer #1
My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophageal Cancer in June 2011. He has had intermittent chemo (off since end of May) and was doing amazingly well. While we were visiting our son's family over Thanksgiving he developed significant pain in his right arm, except sometime it was his left arm. MRI yesterday showed tumor at C7/T1. He saw the RO today and got set up (we both have tats now!) Radiation is scheduled to start Monday for 15 treatments. I know a lot of you ladies have "been there, done that." Do you have any advice/suggestions?

Thanks!

Angie

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  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #2
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    Angie I am sorry
    I have not have radiation for bone mets. I am taking Xeloda and given monthly Xgeva shots. Please ask your medical oncologist for additional (to Radiation) treatment.
    Sending positive thoughts for your husband's way
    Hugs
    New Flower
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #3
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    New Flower said:

    Angie I am sorry
    I have not have radiation for bone mets. I am taking Xeloda and given monthly Xgeva shots. Please ask your medical oncologist for additional (to Radiation) treatment.
    Sending positive thoughts for your husband's way
    Hugs
    New Flower

    Hi Angie--sorry to hear about your husband
    I developed bone mets this year at T-12, with a sprinkling in my pelvis. After all the regular testing--CT, bone scan, PET scan, they did a bone biopsy at T-12 to make sure it was still the breast cancer (which it was). I was really afraid of the bone biopsy, but it was done under anesthesia and all I felt was a little bruised the next couple of days.

    Then I had 15 rads to T-12. They did the usual marking of the area and the rads took less than 5 minutes. The area on my back got more brown than red (like the breast area did). I felt some fatigue again, but it was really pretty uneventful for me.

    I hope your husband's experience is the same. I've been on Faslodex injections and Xgeva shots since January and am happy to say my PET scans have shown NED in the areas previously seen.

    Hugs, Renee
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #4
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    Put the aqua phor on his back
    same as you did on the breast. I had it to the tailbone, pelvic and hips twice. The first time I didn't use the aqua phor until it was already burned, the second time, put it after each session and was good.

    Wish you both the best,
    Carol
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #5
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    Hope this helps!
    I am so sorry to hear of your husband's mets. Just to let you know, I had radiation to my ribs and I had very few side effects (just a little queasiness because the RO said he had to radiate a little of my liver). Some have skin issues but I never did. More importantly, the radiation really helped my pain :-). I am praying your hubbie will have similar results. Big (((hugs))).

    Here is a great guide to radiation put out by ACS:


    Understanding Radiation Therapy: A Guide for Patients and Families

    http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003028-pdf.pdf

    P.S. If your computer doesn't let you go to the link, press your shift key while you click on the link.

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