started targeted radiation yesterday
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started targeted radiation yesterday

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › started targeted radiation yesterday

  • Post
    • January 21, 2014 at 10:45 am
    shanemcdonald99
    Participant

      I started external beam radiation yesterday on a metastisis in my L3 in spine.

      I was tired all day afterward but feel good this morning. 10 days with weekend off.

      Another spot showed in PT scan ,2cm on pancreas, but they are not sure about it.

      They wanted to start right away on the bone anyway.

       

      Original site was on abdomen which was surgically removed in nov 2012. it was 4mm and ulcerated, but sentinel node biopsy came back clean .  In nov, after injuring a muscle at work, the radiologist noticed marrow displacement in the L3 and referred me for CT scan which verified it.

      The pain is mostly in the soft tissue around the area and is like a soreness, but pinched nerve type pain also shows up a little .  That is like a stabbing sharper pain.

      I have only taken dexamethazone so far and it has helped the pain alot, but it also raised my blood pressure 20 points on both ends. They cut the dose in half 4 days ago and I noticed increase in pain right away. It alos relieved gout in my foot I have had forever !!

      They hope the radiation will help the pain.

      I asked again about the spot on my pancreas, and they did not really answer. I dont know what to make of that. He said he is not sure if it is a lesion and said sometimes the pet shows these spots near high "sugar " areas like brain and pancreas.   I said " whats the point of the pt then ? "

       

      Nothing.

       

      My brother just died in october from pancreatic cancer.

      Is this information helpful to post here in this forum ?  I figured some updates on the radiation might be helpful to those who will try it. 

      So far just the tiredness afterward.

       

      sincerely,

      Shane

       

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        • January 21, 2014 at 4:33 pm
        arthurjedi007
        Participant

          Good luck Shane. My first treatment for my melanoma was pallative radiation to the t10 vertebrae area. It was a little rough but got easier as the treatments went. I got 10 zaps in all. I think by the 7th I was walking fairly well again. I was able to get the zaps in the morning and work from home in the afternoon fine. The main thing was I had to eat small amounts of food many times a day cause I couldn't keep a full meal down.

          Someone else on here (I don't remember who) posted some information about combining bone radiation with ipilumab/yervoy. There seems there might be an association between that combo getting better results from ipi.

          As far as the pancreas I have no idea about that but if not already I would suggest getting to a NCI certified melanoma specialist.

          As far as pain in the spine there is a family of medicines that help with that plus they slow down the progression of melanoma in the bone. The one they put me on was Zometa. Unfortunately I'm one of the less than 1% that is allergic to that family of medicines. But for several weeks it did help my bones feel much better for the 1 dose I had.

           

          • January 21, 2014 at 4:33 pm
          arthurjedi007
          Participant

            Good luck Shane. My first treatment for my melanoma was pallative radiation to the t10 vertebrae area. It was a little rough but got easier as the treatments went. I got 10 zaps in all. I think by the 7th I was walking fairly well again. I was able to get the zaps in the morning and work from home in the afternoon fine. The main thing was I had to eat small amounts of food many times a day cause I couldn't keep a full meal down.

            Someone else on here (I don't remember who) posted some information about combining bone radiation with ipilumab/yervoy. There seems there might be an association between that combo getting better results from ipi.

            As far as the pancreas I have no idea about that but if not already I would suggest getting to a NCI certified melanoma specialist.

            As far as pain in the spine there is a family of medicines that help with that plus they slow down the progression of melanoma in the bone. The one they put me on was Zometa. Unfortunately I'm one of the less than 1% that is allergic to that family of medicines. But for several weeks it did help my bones feel much better for the 1 dose I had.

             

              • January 21, 2014 at 8:42 pm
              shanemcdonald99
              Participant

                Arthur

                 

                Thanks for that valuable information. I appreciate that.

                How is your spine feeling ?  I hope you are feeling good. Glad to hear you were able to work in the afternoon. Again today, I feel tired all afternoon.  Is the pain better now ?

                 

                thanks again,

                stay well and best regards

                 

                shane

                • January 21, 2014 at 8:42 pm
                shanemcdonald99
                Participant

                  Arthur

                   

                  Thanks for that valuable information. I appreciate that.

                  How is your spine feeling ?  I hope you are feeling good. Glad to hear you were able to work in the afternoon. Again today, I feel tired all afternoon.  Is the pain better now ?

                   

                  thanks again,

                  stay well and best regards

                   

                  shane

                  • January 21, 2014 at 8:42 pm
                  shanemcdonald99
                  Participant

                    Arthur

                     

                    Thanks for that valuable information. I appreciate that.

                    How is your spine feeling ?  I hope you are feeling good. Glad to hear you were able to work in the afternoon. Again today, I feel tired all afternoon.  Is the pain better now ?

                     

                    thanks again,

                    stay well and best regards

                     

                    shane

                  • January 21, 2014 at 4:33 pm
                  arthurjedi007
                  Participant

                    Good luck Shane. My first treatment for my melanoma was pallative radiation to the t10 vertebrae area. It was a little rough but got easier as the treatments went. I got 10 zaps in all. I think by the 7th I was walking fairly well again. I was able to get the zaps in the morning and work from home in the afternoon fine. The main thing was I had to eat small amounts of food many times a day cause I couldn't keep a full meal down.

                    Someone else on here (I don't remember who) posted some information about combining bone radiation with ipilumab/yervoy. There seems there might be an association between that combo getting better results from ipi.

                    As far as the pancreas I have no idea about that but if not already I would suggest getting to a NCI certified melanoma specialist.

                    As far as pain in the spine there is a family of medicines that help with that plus they slow down the progression of melanoma in the bone. The one they put me on was Zometa. Unfortunately I'm one of the less than 1% that is allergic to that family of medicines. But for several weeks it did help my bones feel much better for the 1 dose I had.

                     

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