Why Radiation vs No Radiation

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bruins1971
bruins1971 Member Posts: 227
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Does anyone know why some people get radiation and others don't? I am wondering why my oncologist said I don't need it.

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  • LOUSWIFT
    LOUSWIFT Member Posts: 371 Member
    #2
    radiation
    I had radiation with my original rectal cancer four years ago. It was fast and easy but damaged my pelvis bone morrow so I have permanently low counts of platelets and white blood cells. My reoccurrence was high in my asending colon they won't use radiation because the radiation that misses the target tumor or isn't completely absorbed would damage nearby organs.
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail CSN Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #3
    All I know
    I am stage 3 colorectal and my tumor was very low. I was told that because of this diagnosis the 5 week radiation/chemo treatment prior to surgery will shrink the tumor giving more room to work with so to hopefully not have a permanent colostomy.Other's may know more.

    Gail
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 CSN Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #4
    Opinion
    This is just my opinion but I think it is where the tumor is located. Mine was in my rectum so therefore six weeks of radiation.

    Kim
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh CSN Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #5
    Howdy
    Radiation is usually used to shrink tumors for a couple of reasons:

    1. To shrink the tumor to allow a resection.
    2. To manage the tumor growth and/or relieve symptoms associated with the disease.

    Like Lou, I had general external beam radiation for my rectal tumor.

    I've also had stereotactic radiation to treat my liver.

    And I'm almost done now with IMRT radiation, which is a conformal radiation therapy that is customized and contoured to the tumor. I just finished 25 of 30 treatments and am definitely feeling poorly from it, but that's to be expected.

    Radiation is serious business and not to be taken lightly...once you radiate a particular area, what's done is done and you live with it for the rest of your life. And they cannot go back to the same area to radiate again, so it's a one-shot deal.

    You could definitely ask your onc why radiation hasn't been mentioned. I don't have enough info on your case, to offer an opinion as to why. If could tell me more about your situation, I might be offer an opinion.

    Be sure to include this conversation with your next consultation and you can post about that and we can offer some more insight and can better keep up with your story.

    Welcome to the forum and the best of luck to you!

    -Craig
  • bruins1971
    bruins1971 Member Posts: 227
    #6
    Sundanceh said:

    Howdy
    Radiation is usually used to shrink tumors for a couple of reasons:

    1. To shrink the tumor to allow a resection.
    2. To manage the tumor growth and/or relieve symptoms associated with the disease.

    Like Lou, I had general external beam radiation for my rectal tumor.

    I've also had stereotactic radiation to treat my liver.

    And I'm almost done now with IMRT radiation, which is a conformal radiation therapy that is customized and contoured to the tumor. I just finished 25 of 30 treatments and am definitely feeling poorly from it, but that's to be expected.

    Radiation is serious business and not to be taken lightly...once you radiate a particular area, what's done is done and you live with it for the rest of your life. And they cannot go back to the same area to radiate again, so it's a one-shot deal.

    You could definitely ask your onc why radiation hasn't been mentioned. I don't have enough info on your case, to offer an opinion as to why. If could tell me more about your situation, I might be offer an opinion.

    Be sure to include this conversation with your next consultation and you can post about that and we can offer some more insight and can better keep up with your story.

    Welcome to the forum and the best of luck to you!

    -Craig

    Thanks
    I guess I should just ask ole Dr. Xiong why I don't need Radiation and trust me I am glad I don't for after 12 rounds of chemo, colon resection and then a liver resection to remove the two tumors I am about done with hospitals and doctors.....
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg CSN Member Posts: 731
    #7
    Not rectal.
    I'll guess that your oncologist says you don't need radiation, because you have colon cancer and not rectal cancer. Is that right? Radiation is standard for non-metastatic rectal cancer, because the risk of local recurrence is high, and radiation will hopefully zap cancer cells in the vicinity of a rectal tumor. Also, as others have said, when radiation is given for a rectal tumor before surgery, it shrinks the tumor and simplifies the surgery. However, if there is no radiation of a rectal tumor before surgery (as there was not for my tumor), radiation will still be given after surgery.

    --Greg
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S CSN Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #8
    Bobby
    The "general" rule is that rectal cancer reponds to radiation and colon cancer doesn't. There is a slight difference in the 2 cancers in the way they handle radiation. Sometimes they will radiate rectal mets and not colon mets for this reason. Of course they use radiation for mets to bones and brain as well regardless of the originating tumor because it is a more percise way to treat those tumors. As I said ... it's just a general rule.
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan CSN Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #9
    Lori-S said:

    Bobby
    The "general" rule is that rectal cancer reponds to radiation and colon cancer doesn't. There is a slight difference in the 2 cancers in the way they handle radiation. Sometimes they will radiate rectal mets and not colon mets for this reason. Of course they use radiation for mets to bones and brain as well regardless of the originating tumor because it is a more percise way to treat those tumors. As I said ... it's just a general rule.

    I had one of each
    I had one tumour in my colon + one in my rectum (lucky me!). I had 25 rounds of radiation with chemo, + both the tumours shrank. After 4 rounds of folfiri + avastin, my two tumours are "non-detectable" + I continue on folfiri + avastin to fight the mets in my liver, lymph nodes + possibly ovary. So far I am not operable, so the radiation was especially helpful for me.

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