Heart damage from radiation

isaiah4031

I have read a lot in these posts about heart damage and radiation. Can someone elaborate? I am in my fourth week of radiation and all I was told was that the heart would be receiving some of the radiation. Sounds more serious than that from what you all have written.
Thanks, Jayne

jeancmici

Hi Jayne,

I haven't started radiation yet but was told by the doctor that 10 years down the road I could have heart trouble. Three months after I could have shortness of breath indicating lung damage which heals. Also he said I could get a broken rib - I said how does that occur - he said radiation can soften the ribs temporarily making a break more likely. A friend said to me - well, don't do any moving of furniture etc. that you like to do!

All risks are very small, he added, like 1%, but are higher for the left breast because the heart is on the left side.

Supposedly new machines are much better designed to only radiate -mostly- what should get radiation and not much elsewhere.

I guess trust and optimism are needed!!

Good Luck, Jean

Unknown

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

gdpawel

If you're serious about researching information about radiation side effects see below:
//cancernet.nci.nih.gov/peb/radiation/index.html
//www.emedicine.com/Neuro/topic330.htm
//spinwarp.ucsd.edu/NeuroWeb/text/br-840.htm
//www.tbts.org/treatment.htm
//www.cancerlinks.com/brain.html
//brain.mgh.harvard.edu/WomensTumors.htm
//www.umm.edu/nervous/brain.htm
//www.emedicine.com
//www.emedicine.com/neuro/Neuro-Oncology.htm
//www.virtualtrials.com/tourguide.cfm
//cancerguide.org/medline.html
//members.aol.com/afipinfo/xpcslab.html
//members.aol.com/afipinfo/critrevonchem.html
//rtsideffects.salu.net/learn.html
//hometown.aol.com/Sunny9652/indexRadiation.html
//www.med.jhu.edu/radiosurgery/williams/nf_williams.html
//www.baromedical.com/newsletter/hbosladearticle.html
//www.slip.net/~mcdavis/amifostn.html
//www.brain-tumour.net/neurosurgery/radiation/side1.htm
//jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v281n18/ffull/jlt0512-3.html
//www.ailments.com/ailments/radiationtherapy.html
//www.4tf.com/cancer.htm
//cancer.med.upenn.edu/specialty/ped_onc/radiation/hyperbr1.html
//hyperbaric-forum.com/
//www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/sec15/166.htm
//nanonline.org/NANdistanCE/mtbi/Neurolll/toxic/radnecro.html
//www.thieme.com/thieme/casestudies/wcase10.pdf
//www.virtualtrials.org/levin/cfm
//www-personal.si.umich.edu/~jgourdji/treat.html
//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=PubMed
//www.orgsites.com/ca/acco/_pgg6.php3
//cancernet.nci.nih.gov/chemotherapy/chemoint.html
//www.cancerwise.org/facts_figures/ff_sideeffects.html

If not, take the chance????