Post radiation rotator cuff tear

davidlee
davidlee Member Posts: 2
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum and looking to gain more info on long term side effects of chemo/radiation.

 

Finished chemo/radiation for tonsil cancer in April 2017.  I have had a lot of setbacks during recovery, as I'm sure a lot of you have. The latest is a rotator cuff tear in my left shoulder. Saw a very well respected orthopedic surgeon in Minneapolis and after exam and review of MRI, he concluded it was caused by radiation and therefore, I am not a good candidate for surgery. I guess tendons/muscles become almost wood like after radiation and are very difficult to repair. Has anyone had a similar occurance, and if so, did anything help to get strength back? I'm starting PT in a week. 

Thanks,

Dave

Comments

  • corleone
    corleone Member Posts: 312 Member
    #2
    shoulder impingement

    I had treatment (chemo radiation) completed in December 2012 for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. 

    4 months ago I had shoulder impingement (no tear) in my left shoulder, triggered while I was sleeping on my left shoulder. 

    I wasn't able to get a referral to the orthopedist, because my GP thought it was not serious (although t was incapacitating, I wasn’t able to sleep properly, with pain mostly during night), but I am pretty sure that the whole shoulder joint was affected by radiation (fibrosis, decreased elasticity and such).

    Anyway, it took 4 months (until recently) to recover “almost” completely.

    However, I am afraid this may re-occur, because this happened while no serious strain was exerted on the joint (during sleeping, I mean come on!), although I thought that the muscles and ligaments around the shoulder joint were strong enough (now I guess not), as I was doing regularly pull-ups and push-ups.

  • davidlee
    davidlee Member Posts: 2
    #3
    corleone said:

    shoulder impingement

    I had treatment (chemo radiation) completed in December 2012 for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. 

    4 months ago I had shoulder impingement (no tear) in my left shoulder, triggered while I was sleeping on my left shoulder. 

    I wasn't able to get a referral to the orthopedist, because my GP thought it was not serious (although t was incapacitating, I wasn’t able to sleep properly, with pain mostly during night), but I am pretty sure that the whole shoulder joint was affected by radiation (fibrosis, decreased elasticity and such).

    Anyway, it took 4 months (until recently) to recover “almost” completely.

    However, I am afraid this may re-occur, because this happened while no serious strain was exerted on the joint (during sleeping, I mean come on!), although I thought that the muscles and ligaments around the shoulder joint were strong enough (now I guess not), as I was doing regularly pull-ups and push-ups.

    Thanks. I also notied most of

    Thanks. I also notied most of the pain at night while sleeping. My supraspinatus tendon is 80% torn and infraspinatus is 20% torn. Just hope physical therapy can help.

    As you know, with radiation it can happen years later. I hope your shoulder stays healthy.

  • corleone
    corleone Member Posts: 312 Member
    #4
    Thanks for your reply.

    Thanks for your reply.

    So – aside physiotherapy – is there anything else you were suggested? Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers, sling?

    And – how did that happen, did you have any risk factors (repetitive movements over the head, etc) or just a sudden movement?

    It’s interesting that the orthopedic surgeon recognized that this may be (or was in fact) caused by radiation. My radiation oncologist, who saw me last time (May) during the annual follow-up, didn’t admit my shoulder problem could be caused (or facilitated) by radiation.

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 728 Member
    #5
    Same Here

    Quite a coincidence seeing this thread today.  A month ago my left shoulder started to hurt but I ignored it.  In 2002 I had shoulder surgery so I just figured it was more calcium build up.  Yesterday and today the pain is almost unbearable.  Can barely move my arm.  Being the holiday I'm stuck until next week to see someone.  With my insurance I don't need a referral to an Orthapedist.  I'll find one and just make an appt for ASAP.  And xray should show something.

    But now you have me wondering if it's radiation related.  That never occurred to me.  My cancer was on the right side and it's my left arm that hurts.  Hopefully it's just some small matter that can be fixed w/o surgery.

     

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