Wondering about radiation and damage

Steve,

It is nice of you for posting our exchanged emails to those interested in the subject matter. Radiation is a matter of concern to us PCa patients but physicians uses it under evident control and follow the guidelines that were decided from studies over the years. We will experience the RT side effects because the doses are higher than what we experience in daily routines but RT treatments do not reach dangerous levels for death. After RT we need to be careful and care for the symptoms, if any, to avoid additional health issues. RT in all forms hare risks as much as surgery do in treatments for cancer.

Regarding the above contents, I would like to add that the equivalencies in radiation units and values (absorbed and doses) depend on the type of radiation (the source delivering it). Typically Grays are used to quantify absorbed radiation, the dose is expressed in Sievert (Sv) or millisievert (mSv), and the exposure to ionizing radiation (harmful radiation from all types of energy source, Chernobyl residents had 39 R), named radiation sickness is measured in Roentgen (R) or milliroentgen (mR).

In such regard the typical daily of absorbed dose of 1.8 Gy in IMRT treatments (ionizing radiation) was equivalent to a dose of 1,800 mSv and an exposure of 205 R. The numbers are high but it regards one spot in our body. Environmental radiation involves the whole body. Fukushima residents were exposed to 45R (0.4 Gy or 400 mSv) which risks are much higher than the radiation we received in our PCa treatment.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/mar/15/radiation-exposure-levels-guide

Best,

VG

Hi All,

Whether radiation or surgery just about all of us are walking wounded with some side effects.  It’s just really sad when your hear about the really severe ones.  You have to wonder if its just their  physicality, doctors, or facilities that is the variable. I consider myself very lucky, after almost 5 yrs. undetectable PSA, about 85% on the dicktor scale, and a slight drip from time to time. Living a year at a time between PSA tests. I try my best to lead a normal life and don’t let my drips get in the way. Keep on keepin on.

Dave 3+4

Steve,

You cannot analyze or estimate risks comparing your treatment dose to a number of chest x-rays. The treatment is done localized to the tumor which spot receives the full blow. A chest x-ray covers the full area being photographed. Apart from that, the absorbed radiation depends on the dose used which is different at each part of the body. The link in my initial post can give you details on that.

You are a worrier and it becomes difficult to me to give you a straight answer as you may interpret it erroneously. You need to understand radiation and the role of it in the treatment, instead of think it as the evil creature in the story.
It is also impossible to evaluate the risks (danger in organs failure or death) from cumulative radiation because this does not accumulate over the years striking us later with a bigger blow. In RT treatments what accumulates (therapy after therapy) are the dead tissue spots acquired in each intervention.

Radiation treatment works by destroying only the portion where it is directed. As Georges comments above the aimed spots in the RT fall within the area of the tumor (cancerous cells) which are expected to be killed. Neighboring organs and systems get negligible doses so that are not much affected and continue functioning naturally; recuperating fully once the dead cells are replaced by newer ones in their life cycle.

Chest X-rays use low ionizing radiation (0.1 mSv) with a very low possibility in damaging the DNA of cells causing scars. PCa treatment uses high ionizing doses of 1,800 to 2,500 mSv (1.8 to 2.5 Gy) assuring the killing of cancerous cells. In treatments for prostate cancer tissues in the bladder wall and colon are affected too. Not all dead tissues are disposed naturally by the body and these become sort of scars for life (cystitis and proctitis). Adding more radiation in these areas could cause fistulas so that one needs to avoid rads over rads of high intensity.

I do not know your age but in my lay opinion you can have as many chest X-rays as you need for the rest of your life. I doubt that any one person would have ever 10,000 x-rays in his whole life (your comment above). You shouldn’t be worried when a physician demands such an exam because they only do it if the benefits outweigh the risks. Even radiation treatment for cancer is done under such principles. A PCa patient with extensive advanced cancer (mets in bone etc) is never recommended to radiotherapy because it wouldn’t treat the issue. The radiotherapist would reserve it to other purposes such as pain control at affected spots.

Best wishes,

VGama