tls11251
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Posts:4
My husband has received 4 rounds of Gem/Carbo,he had a 9cm tumour upper right lobe,superior vena cava syndrome,and hypercalcaemia.He was diagnosed because of pneumonia and his lung had collapsed.He was given 1 session of internal radiotherapy,he has responded very well,good shrinkage has taken the pressure off the SVC,Hpercalcaemia treated,,lung almost completey open..Now he is to receive 20 radiotherapy sessions,, he has been really well and leading an almost normal life I am really worried that 20 will not be enough after reading how many can be given.....He is squamous T4 Nx M0 when I mentioned this I was told it was the maximum he could be given,,,,,any thoughts please
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Reply # - October 6, 2012, 05:31 AM
Reply To: Number of radiation treatments
Hi tls and welcome to Grace. I'm very sorry your husband and you are in this postion. It sounds as if he is hoping for and working toward a cure.
Radiation is measured in Grays, named after its inventor and there is only so much a person can be given before it becomes too toxic for the structures being hit. It's very possible he was given a certain amount of grays in the internal radiation treatment and can only take so many more. Also grays can be given in different amounts at one time and the number of treatments doesn't always correspond. But you are right in thinking a curative dose is often given over a 7 week period or 35 treatments, somewhere around 63 to 66 greys. And giving that much in only 20 sessions isn't unsual.
I think if you read the post I've linked you to below you will have a much better understanding from which to ask the radiation onc more specific questions. http://cancergrace.org/radiation/2012/03/29/not-black-or-white/
I hope he continues to does very well with his treatment. Please let us know if you have additional questions.
Janine
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Reply # - October 6, 2012, 06:07 AM
Reply To: Number of radiation treatments
tls, just wondering whether you might be writing from my side of the Atlantic (UK)?
As Janine says, it is not the number of sessions but the dosage that matters. Just for the purposes of comparison, I have stage IV squamous and was given 20 Gy to the lung (and 20Gy to the brain, where I have metastases), in ten sessions, as a palliative treatment. It has worked well for me.
However I believe there are different schools of thought here and in the US, so that might explain the discrepancies between what you are reading and the amount of radiotherapy your husband has had. You'll probably find the total amount of radiation in Gy on the consent form your husband will have to sign or will have already signed. Great to hear he is doing so well. Best wishes.
Reply # - October 6, 2012, 09:43 AM
Reply To: Number of radiation treatments
I completely agree with what has been said. There are different schedules that can lead to comparable doses of radiation being delivered in very different schedules. It's not that different from saying that someone drank 8 glasses of water in a day, but depending on the size of the glasses, you could have a very major difference in the amount a person is actually getting. The radiation oncologist treating your husband could say whether he's getting a "definitive", maximal dose that is safe for that area, but it doesn't boil down just to number of treatments.
Good luck.
-Dr. West