Silly question on radiation

Possible damage to the lung
Possible damage to the lung was listed as a side effect before I began rads. About 1 week after finishing rads (33 treatments) I had to be hospitalized for excruciating pain in my side (same side as rads). A battery of tests showed absolutely nothing. I missed a week of work & went through a lot of pain meds. The radiation onc. finally said that the pain might have been "soft tissue damage" from the rads. It has eased up considerably since that time.
Hope you (and no one else) has to go through this.

Hi Katz, I finished rads a
Hi Katz, I finished rads a year ago last month. I learned about different kinds of radiation before treatment. I ended up with standard radiation (EBRT), because it did not affect my heart and affected only a teeny, tiny section of lung. There's a certain percentage of lung area that it is permissible for the radiation to reach. But, if the radiation would have affected more of my heart or lung, then I would have had IMRT. Xrays of my lungs after radiation was finished didn't show any damage at all.

Here's what the ACS says about IMRT (it talks about prostate cancer, but it is the same thing for breast cancer):

"Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): IMRT is an advanced form of 3D therapy. It uses a computer-driven machine that actually moves around the patient as it delivers radiation. In addition to shaping the beams and aiming them at the prostate from several angles, the intensity (strength) of the beams can be adjusted to minimize the dose reaching the most sensitive normal tissues. This allows doctors to deliver an even higher dose to the cancer areas. Many major hospitals and cancer centers are now able to provide IMRT. The RapidArc™ is a form of IMRT that allows each treatment to be given over just a few minutes. It is more convenient for the patient, but is similar to regular IMRT in terms of effectiveness."

Do you know if you are getting external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or IMRT?

Don't be afraid to question your oncologists! They can show you a map of exactly what is going to be radiated and why.

xoxoxoxo Lynn

Katz77 said:

I didn't know to ask.
I didn't know to ask. Thought radition was radiation. Little late to ask, since I go on Monday. I will ask then I guess. Thank you for the info. Katz

It is never too late! You
It is never too late! You haven't had radiation yet. You have a right to insist on more information before the treatment begins. You can call today and talk to someone. If you don't live too far away from your center, maybe you could even go in today.

Sorry, this is long. I copied this from ASTRO, which is the society for radiation therapists. This is the link: http://www.rtanswers.org/treatmentinformation/questions/beforetreatment.aspx There are also lists of questions for during treatment and after treatment that link from this page.


What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor?
Quick Links

* What Questions should I ask my doctor
* Questions to ask before treatment
* Questions to ask during treatment
* Questions to ask after treatment ends




Questions to ask before treatment

* What type and stage of cancer do I have?
* What are my treatment options?
* What is the purpose of radiation treatment for my type of cancer?
* How will the radiation therapy be given? Will it be external beam or brachytherapy? What do the treatments feel like?
* How long will I receive radiation? How many treatments will I receive per week?
* What are the chances that radiation therapy will work?
* What is the chance that the cancer will spread or come back if I do not have radiation therapy?
* Will I need chemotherapy, surgery, hormone therapy or other treatments? If so, in what order will I receive these treatments? How soon after radiation therapy can I start them?
* Is there a clinical trial for which I might be eligible? Should I participate in a clinical trial? What are my benefits and risks?
* How should I prepare for this financially?
* What are some of the support groups I can turn to during treatment?
* Will radiation therapy affect my ability to have children?
* If I have questions after I leave here, who can I call?
* Do you take my insurance? Is there a co-pay?

Hope this helps. xoxoxoxox Lynn

Katz77 said:

Questions...
There was only two or three on that list I asked! Wow what a wealth of info. Thank you. Our cancer center is closed for the holidays. They just have our "on call" Nurse practioner on duty for emergencies. Guess I'll wait for the day or rads to ask a few questions. My fault. I live in a small town in NM and we are lucky to have a cancer center. They fly our docs in from Albuequrque. We only started doing rads about two months bf I recieved my "welcome to the club" dianosis. Used to have to drive two hrs to the nearest center. Guess their still working on infomation to the patients. Thanks again for the info. Katz

Hi Katz...
Just catching up on the boards after the holidays. Wanted to let you know, even though I had the bent beams, due to the position of my tumor, 5% of both my lung and my heart were in the field. For the lung, I was told to watch for shortness of breath as scar tissue can build up in the radiated area. This was the same side effect if I developed heart trouble. I was petrified because my heart only runs on three valves as it is. I'm here to tell you that nothing happened and I am fine. It is very rare if this should occur as they are very careful. I hope this should help to ease your anxiety a little! ♥Pammy