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Help to understand radiation

Kirstynic
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Hi dad was dx with nsclc squamous stage 3b in February 2012. In that time he has also been dx with a collapsed lung and angina. Dad had an MRI yesterday which confirmed spread to the brain. He has 2 brain mets one is the size of a 2p and the other is smaller. The oncologist is treating with whole brain radiation but has only scheduled 5 visits. My dad and mum live in another county and so I was not at the appointment, they have limited knowledge and seem to trust the oncologists decisions. Also when my dad was told he had to give up driving I think everything else became a blur. 


It's definitely wbr as onc said to dad that he will lose all his hair and even joked that it would be better then targeted radiation as then he would lose hair in 2 different places on his head. This is what my dad said when I spoke to him and so confirmed to me what he was having.

 It's hard because since my dads dx over 3 years ago he has tried to carry on as normal still working full time and doing things for himself and now he has to give up driving he will lose a big part of his independence. I don't understand why targeted isn't a option specially as dads lung tumour is stable and their is no further spread elsewhere. And I don't understand why only 5 sessions. 

I would be really greatful if anyone could help me understand as after reading on the Internet it seems WBR is favourited when it seems the patient will succumb to disease in the near future and this has scared me. 

 

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    Hi ....... I have had cyberknife brain treatment and all I can suggest is that you swiftly contact the london hospitals who do both cyber and gamma knife procedures to get their opinions. You can ask for his scans to be sent to them. The only reason I say to do this quickly is that I don't think they will do targeted radiotherapy if he has wbc beforehand.  You can Google where the hospitals are - there is the cyberknife centre in Harley street but I'm not sure re gamma knife however it lists the hospitals online. Good luck x

  • Offline in reply to max56

    Hi = I think Cyberknife is in Royal Marsden London and Liverpool and also Guildford. I am sure there are other machines else where. The idea of this is to target treatment better and that would reduce side effects = so worth asking about. Good luck on you all at this time.

  • Offline in reply to brighteyes

    Definitely SRS (cyberknife) is available at the Walton Centre/Clatterbridge site in Liverpool, Royal Marsden as Steve has said, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Plymouth and the Royal Hallamshire too. Your GP should be able to advise. 

     

  • Offline in reply to davek

    Thank you for your replys. I contacted the Royal marsden and received advice about referral. Unfortunately my dad seems to want to go with what his onc has set and there is little I can do to persuade him otherwise. Do you know why the radiation may only being given as a set of 5 when you are allowed a lot more? If he has minimal dose now does that mean he could have more in the future? 

  • Offline in reply to Kirstynic

    I don't know the answer to that Kristy but think that wbc can also damage heAlthy tissue so maybe it's for that reason. Targeted RT, ie gamma or cyberknife involves rays entering the head in around I think 140 different areas so they are weak and won't damage heAlthy tissue, then they all meet at the tumour and together destroy it. The nurses here may be able to explain better if you ring them or your Dad's consultant should be a able to tell you about the significance of five treatments. X

  • Offline in reply to max56

     

     Thank you Max I am trying to find out as much as I can. It's hard trying to accept that dad doesn't want to push for a second opinion and if I push he will get upset. I think as treatment is scheduled to start in 7-10 days he's just wants to get going. I feel for him so much today he is giving up his license and his independence and something that has kept normal- how did you find having to do that Max? And is 2 years 2years without driving even if success with brain met treatment? We also had a call last night to say my grandad dads dad has had a stroke  :( which has given my poor daddy another shock. 

    thank you once again for taking time to reply I really appreciate it :) xx

     

     

     

     

     

  • Offline in reply to Kirstynic

    Hi,

    In general oncologists, seem to try to keep both chemo and radiotherapy to a minimum to avoid excessive side effects and unnecessary damage. In the old days they would have just blasted the cancer with maximum allowed, but research has proved that this approach has better outcomes.

    As a patient this seemed counter-intuitive, at one point I thought maybe they were just trying to save money, but I must admit that it seems to have worked for me. 

     

    Dave

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