Cancer Research UK main site
  • Replies 2 replies
  • Views 265 views
  • Users 0 members are here

Parkinsons and Cancer

Mackam77
Offline

Hi

My father-in-law has Parkinsons, he's 82 years old and has recently been diagnosed with skin cancer.

He's had the body scan and MRI and they've decided it's to big to remove so are going to treat it with radiotherapy.

My concerns are what are the side effects to the treatment, I know this may sound cruel but an 82 year old with parkinsons do you really want to suffer more from the treatment?  I know we need to speak with the consultant but my husband won't discuss this with me he doesn't like to talk about cancer or death.  I just wanted to speak to someone who isn't a doctor and try and understand what it's really like to receive radiotherapy.

 

Thanks

Lyn

 

  • Offline

    Hi,

    I had 4 weeks ( 20 sessions ) of radiotherapy on my throat to clear up a vocal cord cancer. I was dreading it but, apart from superficial redness and a bearable sore throat when swallowing, came through remarkably well. I am a fit 68 year old. Much will depend on where the radiation is being targeted and area size.The Parkinson's may prove problematic if he is unable to keep still during treatment, which in my case was only around 10 minutes daily. The radiation is pinpointed exactly at the cancer cells and tries to avoid the good guys, which means absolute stillness is required : because mine was to the neck I had to wear a mask that is secured to the table to ensure this. It sounds dreadful but in reality not too bad. Hope this is of some use and that your father in law is able to receive the prescribed treatment. Radiation scare stories are few these days and I feel certain he will be well looked after.

  • Offline in reply to Woodstock

    Hi

     

    Thank you replying, that helps make me feel better about the treatment.  His cancer is on his lower back, it was cut out but it happens to be the worse kind of skin cancer and should have taken a larger  area out but didn't.  Now it's too big to cut the rest out so radiotherapy is the next step.  Hopefully he will be able to lie still long enough, it's mainly his hand and arm that's shakes.  

    Hopefully he won't suffer too much from the treatment.

    I hope your treatment and recovery has gone well.

     

    Thanks 

    Lyn x

     

Speak to a nurse

Quick links

Follow us

Registered with Fundraising Regulator (logo)
Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.