Question 1

a family member is currently undergoing targeted therapy treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome. they previously were treated with radiation for a different form of cancer. could the radiation have caused or led to the mds?

Accepted Answer

: Blood dyscrasia  is a well-known side effect of radiation therapy. However, the risk is so low compared with the benefit so radiation therapy needs to be done if indicated for saving life.

Question 2

undergoing radiation treatment for voice box cancer stage 1. why am i loosing my voice during these treatments? will it come back?

Accepted Answer

Hoarseness: Hoarseness of the voice during radiation treatments is common and occurs more commonly when the vocal cords are in the field of radiation.  This should resolve after the treatments are completed.  Your Oncologist can provide the best guidance.

Question 3

what to do if i'm a 58 year old man with prostate cancer , i'm undergoing radiation treatment and lupron (leuprolide) ,i get hot flashe?

Accepted Answer

Side effect: The most common side effect of Lupron (leuprolide) is hot flashes. Unfortunately there is not much to do about it. The good news is that Lupron (leuprolide) is stopping your prostate cancer from being active. Lupron (leuprolide) in addition to radiation  has been shown to work better than radiation alone for some patients with prostate cancer.

Question 4

i had a lumpectomy for breast cancer and also had chemotherapy as it was grade 3. now, the doctors want me to have radiations and take tamoxifen, but i'm fed up with the treatment. what should i do?

Accepted Answer

Keep going: Congrats for finishing chemo!  please do not stop now.  If you had a lumpectomy, then you need to get radiation to help decrease your chance of the cancer coming back in the lumpectony area.  If you skip rad, you recurrence rate is 30%.  If you do not want to get the rad, then you should get a mastectomy.  The rad is not as bad as chemo and only takes 7-8 weeks.  Good luck!

Question 5

i was wondering what are the procedures of radiation therapy and chemotherapy and how long does the procedure takes to clean the body from the cancer cells?

Accepted Answer

It depends: Radiation therapy (rt) is used to treat specific spots of cancer, while chemotherapy is used to treat the whole body. Rt is similar to getting an x-ray, but for 15+ minutes repeated every day, for weeks to months. Chemotherapy is an IV medicine given daily, weekly, or every few weeks, over several months. Details depend on the type of cancer being treated.

Question 6

how many radiation therapy sessions does prostate cancer usually take?

Accepted Answer

Around 35: This depends on the radiation oncologist but the standard external beam radiation to the prostate takes around 7 weeks with 5 treatments per week. The number may go up or down somewhat based of the individuals tolerance to the treatment and if the treatment was intensity modulated or 3d conformal.

Question 7

how long is it supposed to it take before radiation therapy starts to reduce colon cancer pain?

Accepted Answer

Few weeks to month: It can take few weeks to c results but can take l.

Question 8

dr. bansal- i just completed  8 weeks of radiation therapy for an early stage of prostate cancer.  it's safe to take turminc  to prevent recurrances?

Accepted Answer

See below: I couldn't find turminc but if it's the same as turmeric, then this should help answer your question.  Turmeric has shown in some early studies to be effective in preventing and treating some cancers, including prostate.  However, the results are preliminary and no clear recommendations can be made as to timing and dosage.  Consumption of small quantities in cooking shouldn't hurt though.

Question 9

minn. doctors.    i have had pain in my pelvic area since 1992 from cancer surgery & 37 radiation  treatments. i take mostly tylenol (acetaminophen)  & some tramadol ?

Accepted Answer

Not uncommon: Twenty two  years post pelvic surgery with the only complaint of some pain controlled by mild oral meds is fairly good.  When pelvic surgery and RT used, one thinks of hysterectomy  or rectal Ca for cancer.  The intestine usually drops into the pelvis and RT causes fibrosis around bowel and bladder to produce discomfort.  At 90 no other approach should be used for management.

Question 10

radiation treatment for cancer - can it cause copd?

Accepted Answer

Lung Change Possible: People treated for lung cancer with radiation therapy can get both short term and long term lung changes.  In the short term there can be radiation pneumonitis which can seem like a pneumonia.  In the long term there can be fibrosis of the treated area which will not work  well any more.  While symptomatically this can seem like copd, it's actually quite different.

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Doctor answers about:

What precautions should a person take when undergoing radiation treatment for cancer

A member asked:

A family member is currently undergoing targeted therapy treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome. they previously were treated with radiation for a different form of cancer. could the radiation have caused or led to the mds?

A member asked:

Undergoing radiation treatment for voice box cancer stage 1. why am i loosing my voice during these treatments? will it come back?

A member asked:

What to do if i'm a 58 year old man with prostate cancer , i'm undergoing radiation treatment and lupron (leuprolide) ,i get hot flashe?

A member asked:

I had a lumpectomy for breast cancer and also had chemotherapy as it was grade 3. now, the doctors want me to have radiations and take tamoxifen, but i'm fed up with the treatment. what should i do?

A member asked:

I was wondering what are the procedures of radiation therapy and chemotherapy and how long does the procedure takes to clean the body from the cancer cells?

A member asked:

How many radiation therapy sessions does prostate cancer usually take?

A member asked:

How long is it supposed to it take before radiation therapy starts to reduce colon cancer pain?

A member asked:

Dr. bansal- i just completed 8 weeks of radiation therapy for an early stage of prostate cancer. it's safe to take turminc to prevent recurrances?

A member asked:

Minn. doctors. i have had pain in my pelvic area since 1992 from cancer surgery & 37 radiation treatments. i take mostly tylenol (acetaminophen) & some tramadol ?

A member asked:

Radiation treatment for cancer - can it cause copd?

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