Why do radiation?

Dear sisters I hope that someone can help me? I came back from gettin my staples out yesterday and my doctor said he had twoo long disussions about me with the people who do radiation treatments. And even thouth my pathology report came out that there wasn't anything in the lymph nodes and it hadn't spread any where they still want me to have radiation treatments. He said the main reason was because of my young age(haha) They wanted to prevent an recourance of any kind. To say the least I was a little surprised but he kept saying because of my young ageI go back in on Monday for a check up So I gues I will start writing question down now. If any one can give me some answers I would be most grateful. Oh! One more thing he tell me they wouldn't start until after I am healed up. Angeleyes

What kind of cancer did you have? What was your stage?

I would ask the doctor how much the radiation changes your odds of a recurrence. What are the odds if you don't have radiation and what are the odds if you do have it? There must be a reason why they are recommending it. Why does your age make a difference?

Those are the first set of questions that come to my mind, but it would help if I knew your kind of cancer and the staging.

But Congratulations on the great path report!

Hugs,
Janie

Only your doctors are in a position tell you why they are recommending radiation. Have you been referred to a radiation oncologist? He/she should be able to go over your pathology and surgical reports with you and explain the reasons radiation would be advantageous in your case. What is your risk of recurrence both with and without radiation? Have you considered going for a consult with another gyn-onc if you are not able to get the information you are looking for from your present doctor?

I had endometrial cancer with no lymph node involvement. I had internal and external radiation because of several factors that increased my risk of recurrence, including a deelpy invasive tumor, tumor involvement in the uterine lymph-vascular space, and a tumor that arose in the lower uterine segment. My gyn-onc went over all of this information before I had a consult with my radiation oncologist, and then the radiation oncologist explained everything thoroughly in even more detail. Having radiation increased my chances of not having a recurrence by approximately 15%.

Good luck in getting the information you need,

MoeKay

Dear Denton 56, Before surgery it was a low grade cancer. When I got the pathology report back they said the tumor was 1.5 cm and my husband said that is no bigger than a quarter. But I talked to my brother who beat lymphopa cancer and he said it is like an insurance policy. Because you see not only did he have cancer but we lost our oldest brother last April to cancer. They did surgery on him in 2001 for lung cancer and took a third of his lung but didn't do any radiation or chemo on him and it came back to haunt him a year later where then it was in his gland above his kidney. And at our mother's funeral he told me he only had 6 months to three years to live and made it seven months. And I think they are taking all my family situations. I go back to the doctor next Monday and I will ask more questions about it. Also my mom had a hysterectomy back in the 70's but lived another 29 years and didn't die because of that. But thanks for caring. Angeleyes

Sorry just had to vent alittle.

My brother in law had a very rare melenoma diagnosis and the doctor kept telling him it was nothing he finally got her to sample it Positive Melanoma after surgery staged at 1 in clear margins..he was told no other treatment recommended.......go home have a nice life. Checkups every 3 months then 1 year later after checkup it was announced Stage 4 melenoma, sorry get your affairs in order. Maybe one of those little guys dropped back in during the surgery. Are you kidding me!

I was so angry because he wasn't given chemo as an option after the first surgery "just in case there were microscopic cells that got away" Now he's doing chemo almost non stop and is holding his own it's been 6 months. Every day is a blessing but every day he's at the dr. Why in the world do dr.'s not suggest the "extra" mile.

So if you are given the option as I was for both chemo and radiation in case of microscopic cells I did choose to do both as I would never want to limit my out come for survival.