wadvocator
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I had an impression that one would only use radiation therapy for the purpose pain relief (e.g. back pain). If I heard today's webinar correctly, radiation therapy can also be used to help control the disease from spreading by cutting off one source of potential spreading. Does it make sense to pursue both targeted therapy (assuming having the treatable mutation) and radiation therapy on specific spreaded to spots in the body?
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Reply # - July 19, 2012, 08:31 PM
Reply To: Radiotherapy webinar
wadvocator, I had that understanding too but ideas seem to be changing, at least some. In terms of targeted therapies such as tarceva where it progression often is limited to one or so spots studies are underway to see if radiation can help control the disease. Our Dr. Weiss has written and started one such study and talks about it here.
http://cancergrace.org/lung/2012/04/03/radiation-to-address-cells-with-…
Reply # - July 19, 2012, 08:56 PM
Reply To: Radiotherapy webinar
There's broadening interest in this. The fundamentals of cancer management haven't completely changed, but I think it's fair to say that we're stepping back and questioning some of the older truisms in the face of newer treatment options. Radiation isn't the treatment of choice for widely metastatic disease, but there is a growing interest in using it to treat a limited amount of viable cancer, perhaps even in the setting of what is technically metastatic.
I think the key question we have yet to answer is whether these treatment will provide real benefit or whether their primary justification is because we have the capability and someone else is paying for them. In other words, it comes back to the question of even if we can, whether we truly should.
-Dr. West
Reply # - August 8, 2012, 09:31 PM
Reply To: Radiotherapy webinar
I am new and I hope this is appropriate to post. I was just diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer NSCLC in my left lung with is in the bone and tumors on my spine and pulvis. The day I had my pet scan I was called back into the hospital to see an radiation onocologist. Radiation was started the next day on the tumor in my left lung in the bone which is getting ready to spread out and a tumor on my spine so that it does not cripple me and will have 15 sessions.
I was told after the 15 sessions I will start chemo. Currently I am on week 2 of my radiation therapy.
Reply # - August 8, 2012, 10:17 PM
Reply To: Radiotherapy webinar
Radiation is a more reliable and rapid way to shrink cancer that is causing an imminent threat like spinal cord compression or a potential fracture of a weight bearing bone, or bad pain in a specific area. That treatment is typically done over a few weeks, which is the time frame that's being done for you.
After that more imminent threat is managed, the typical standard approach for stage IV NSCLC, which is a systemic therapy like chemo or sometimes a targeted oral therapy in patients who have a specific "driver mutation" is then pursued.
Good luck.
-Dr. West