Regret..

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  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Missgrace said:

    How do you know?

    Some of you say you would have the chemo again but not radiation. Also, many of the delayed side effects are blamed on radiation. How do you know that radiation is at fault and not chemo? Just curious.

    Missgrace

    You pose a good question.  I can only speak for myself, but I truly believe that the radiation has caused most of or all of my post-treatment issues.  I have had several intestinal obstructions, which have been thought to be the result of adhesions, which would have been caused by the rads, not the chemo.  I have vaginal atrophy, which, again, I attribute to the radiation.  Radiation treatment is known to cause bone damage and I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis of the hips and lumbar spine.  I have hip pain as well.  As for my kidney issues, I'm not certain what has caused those--possibly both chemo and radiation, possibly the contrast given to me on numerous scans, possibly my long-term use of NSAIDs, such as Advil, and possibly poor hydration.  That one is a toss-up and possibly a combination of all of those things.  Regarless, I still believe that radiation is the more evil of the two. 

  • pializ
    pializ Member Posts: 508 Member
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    mp327 said:

    Missgrace

    You pose a good question.  I can only speak for myself, but I truly believe that the radiation has caused most of or all of my post-treatment issues.  I have had several intestinal obstructions, which have been thought to be the result of adhesions, which would have been caused by the rads, not the chemo.  I have vaginal atrophy, which, again, I attribute to the radiation.  Radiation treatment is known to cause bone damage and I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis of the hips and lumbar spine.  I have hip pain as well.  As for my kidney issues, I'm not certain what has caused those--possibly both chemo and radiation, possibly the contrast given to me on numerous scans, possibly my long-term use of NSAIDs, such as Advil, and possibly poor hydration.  That one is a toss-up and possibly a combination of all of those things.  Regarless, I still believe that radiation is the more evil of the two. 

    Radiation

    The Professor who initially diagnosed me with AC has been doing a study on rectal cancer patients. It has been the norm to treat RC patients with chemo radiotherapy prior to surgery. RC patients are having surgery plus chemo but no radiotherapy. The findings have been that good surgery plus chemo is no less effective than chemo radiotherapy plus surgery. Interesting

    Liz