Radiation Therapy Mistakes

Radiation therapy is commonly used to treat many different types of cancer. The radiation may be external, using a machine that looks much like an X-ray machine, or internal, using radioactive “seeds.” This is called brachytherapy.

I have had radiation therapy twice: The first time was when I had a local recurrence of my breast cancer in 1999. For six and a half weeks, five days a week, I had external radiation to the right side of my chest, including the lymph nodes under my collarbone. I had chemotherapy with Taxol at the same time. (See Chapter 14 of Jeanne's Diary.)

The second time was when my cancer metastasized to my bones. The largest tumor broke my upper right arm, and in early 2002 I had a series of radiation therapy treatments to kill the tumor. Again, I had chemotherapy at the same time.

Somehow, I have never found radiation therapy to be as frightening as chemotherapy. Mostly, I find it boring. But radiation can harm surrounding tissues, and it can increase your chances of having another cancer in the future.

If you have radiation therapy, most likely your treatment will be planned by a radiation oncologist, and the treatments will be given by trained technicians. You will see your radiation oncologist regularly while you are receiving radiation therapy to monitor your progress.

You should choose a radiation oncologist who is a specialist in treating the kind of cancer you have. Then, as with chemotherapy, you should have your doctor explain the treatment carefully. Take notes.

You should know:

• How many treatments you can expect to have
• How often you will be treated
• How long each session should last
• What the radiation dose is supposed to be
• What side effects to expect
• What to do if you experience certain side effects, like badly burned skin.

Also, as with chemotherapy, you should become familiar with the routine of your radiation therapy treatments. Know what the set-up involves (you need to be in exactly the same position each time), how many angles you will receive radiation from, and how long each zap of radiation should last. If your technicians are doing something differently from the way they usually do, ask them why.

@ Jeanne Sather 2006

Comments

[Jeanne]

Lisa Norris, a 16-year-old Scottish girl who was given massive overdoses of radiation during treatment for a brain tumor, has died, according to the BBC News.

The BBC reported Lisa's death on October 19, and said the mistake was the result of "human error."

I cannot begin to say how angry, and how sad, this news makes me.

[Estelle Solomon]

mom had reaccurance of breast cancer after 12 years. one year ago the cancer was found in her bone in her back. she has had monthly infusins of aredia and takes a med orally. now has more cancer cells in her back. oncologist says she needs radiation. what questions should I ask? thank you

[Estelle Solomon]

mom had reaccurance of breast cancer after 12 years. one year ago the cancer was found in her bone in her back. she has had monthly infusins of aredia and takes a med orally. now has more cancer cells in her back. oncologist says she needs radiation. what questions should I ask? thank you

[Jeanne]

Hi Estelle--I'm sorry to hear that your mother needs more treatment.

I just finished a round of radiation therapy myself a few weeks ago, so I'm up on this one.

These are my suggestions:

1. Be sure of your doctor, both his/her medical expertise and also the way the doctor treats patients.

I get this information by talking to other doctors, and also by talking to other patients who have been treated by that doctor.

2. You may want to interview several doctors, if your mother is willing to do this.

3. Make sure that the treatment is necessary at this time. Do this by seeking second opinions, also by asking the radiation oncologist to explain why the treatment is necessary now. It may not be needed, or it may be that it doesn't need to be done immediately, and your mom could watch and wait for awhile.

4. With each doctor you see, ask this list of questions:

• How many treatments you (Mom, in this case) can expect to have
• How often you will be treated
• How long each session should last
• What the radiation dose is supposed to be
• What side effects to expect
• What to do if you experience certain side effects, like badly burned skin.

I had three weeks of radiation to my spine to treat a tumor in T-11 that was bulging out of the bone and moving toward my spinal cord.

The treatment itself is no big deal. Really, it is not. The side effects, for me, included nausea and heart-burn and GI upsets. I had to switch to a diet of very bland foods.

This will vary, depending on what part of the spine your mother has radiation to.

Remember, this is not medical advice. It is my experience as a cancer patient. But I hope it gives you a starting point for talking with your mother's doctor(s).

Jeanne