Roll Call for External Radiation After Chemo

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  • survivingsu
    survivingsu Member Posts: 134 Member
    #22
    I had radiation

    Hi there,

    I had external radiation and chemo prior to surgery for uterine cancer 6 + years ago, also had internal radiation and post-chemo follow-up external radiation.  All of these procedures paid off in the long-run because I am here after a very aggressive small-cell undifferentiated cancer.  But I don't know how helpful I am to you re the after effects, they are hard for me to determine - which are from radiation, which from chemo, which from having had cancer, and which are from just plain getting older.  Just wanted you to know it's all do-able.  I have also found some things take a long time to heal, but the body does heal.

    My very best to you,

    Susan

  • ncg007
    ncg007 Member Posts: 138 Member
    edited September 2016 #23
    28 External
    Stage IIIC1, Grade 3, 50/50 mix Endometrioid and Serous Adenocarcinoma.  Sept 2015, first day of treatment I had both chemo & radiation, 2 rounds Cisplatin 3 weeks apart along with 28 external radiation treatments.  Followed by 4 rounds of carboplatin/paclitaxel targeted 3 weeks apart, completed February 2016.  So far no apparent remaining side affects from radiation.
  • SettledSue
    SettledSue Member Posts: 55 Member
    edited September 2016 #24
    I had external radiation after my recurrence

    I did not have external radiation as part of my frontline treatment but had it after a vaginal recurrence. The radiation was very targeted, which may be why I don't have any permanent side effects from it. I did have diarrhea  during the last few weeks of my radiation treatment. I have been NED for the three years since my radiation.

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,488 Member
    edited September 2016 #25
    MAbound, I'm sorry I didn't

    MAbound, I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner but I see the ladies were all over this.  I really had a hard time wrapping my mind around radiation.  In fact, I think that is why I think I wasn't as good of a patient as I was with chemo.  Stupid, but it is what it is.  

    IMRT just was how my cancer treatment center gave their radiation.  I am sure more places are getting this type of machine but a few years ago they told people were coming from long distances to get treated with the IMRT.  I live in Indianapolis - so maybe that is true. 

    I did not have a solid tumor or traces of cancer, it was all preventitive and I wanted to do whatever I could to beat this beast down. 

    The radiation does zap the marrow in your pelvis, and there is a lot there, so it will make you tired.  The fatique was like nothing I had experienced before.  I would sit in my office and think about how I was going to get moving again.  I did take probiotics before, during, and after and for me I think it helped minimize any diarhhea.  (Yes, I worked throughout my entire radiation)

    When I had my first and only bone scan it showed osteopenia, "thinning". The doctor wanted me to take fosomax, or one of those pills, but those drugs have side effects so I will eat and exercises for as long as I can to avoid taking any osteoporsis drugs - but that is me. 

    As I already noted, the ladies here are great and I think they already covered everything, this is just my 2 cents

  • txtrisha55
    txtrisha55 Member Posts: 693 Member
    #26
    I had no radiation for my

    I had no radiation for my Stage 3C1 Grade 3 Carcinoma sarcoma tumor in the uterus and the 2 microscropic cells in the lymph node.  My dr said once everything was removed there was no place to pin point the radiation at and there was no evidence from the National Cancer Institute (which UTSW Dallas) is part of that checmo and radiation both kept the cancer from returning.  She said if I had a recurrance they would look at radation then.  So far it has been 5 years for me with no recurrance.  trish

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