To radiate or not radiate

[ultraclassic137]

What are everyone's thoughts on radiation? I have officially been titled as being under surveillance but I had a consult with the Oncologist yesterday and discussed radiation. My gut feeling is to go ahead with it. I am still researching side effects and long term problems that might come about after treatment.

[1luckyball]

This is also my question. Had I/O about 3 weeks ago for 3.5cm Seminoma with LVI. I have a meeting next Tuesday with the Onco docs. Trying to get info on radiation and Carbo to see which is the better option. From what I have read on this site, radiation is falling out of favor due to long term side effects, but then again Chemo scares the hell out of me. Not sure which way to go.

[Nut of Mordor]

From what I have read on this site, radiation is falling out of favor due to long term side effects, but then again Chemo scares the hell out of me. Not sure which way to go.

Radiation slightly increases the odds to have a 2nd cancer on the radiated areas even decades after treatment. This is for sure.
Carboplatin does not, but it's a 10 year old treatment so we don't have data after that time, eventhough it has been used for ovarian cancer since at least two decades, and even in that case no increased cases of chemo induced secondary tumors are reported.

I'd go for carboplatin instead of radiation any time.

[Geoff]

Chemo scares the hell out of me. Not sure which way to go.

You have to remember that different chemo treatments have different impacts. Carboplatin seems to have few short-term impacts compared to other types. Not to say you can't be scared of it, just to provide some perspective.

[nciungan]

You're in Indiana correct? I would try to get an appointment at Indiana University and see what their thoughts are.

[clockworkjerry]

I was told by my doctor that seminoma was easily treated with radiation. I decided to just wait after my I/O. It did come back and I did do the radiation. I too worry about the long term, but for now the cancer is gone!! Also the side affects were not that bad, and all seems well now.
Good luck, and remember that it's your choice. Keep us posted.

[stormie]

My son is currently going through radiation, since the four retroperitoneal (sp?) lymph nodes are enlarged. His oncologist is connected w/ Sloan-Kettering in NYC and said that in certain cases, radiation is recommended over chemo, with the new findings of a 90% cure rate. My son is stage 2b and does have some other health issues where the side effects of chemo would be far worse for him than the radiation side effects. Right now all my son is feeling is tired and irritable. (But I'd be irritable too, having each day to go to the hospital's cancer center.) The radiation oncologist put him on Compazine for nausea.

[metolent]

Radiation isn't bad. I was scared of all types of chemo and was happy to avoid it initially. I went on surveillance after the I/O as well and ended up doing radiation 4-5 months afterwards. If you take the compazine or zofran as directed, you'll just feel tired during and afterwards.

Of course, I ended up doing 3xBEP anyway 4-5 months after I finished radiation... and yes, that made radiation look, smell, and feel easy...

Good luck with your decision....

[scozzie]

Hi, I understand your concerns with both the radiation and the carbo, I opted for 1 x carbo mainly due to the inconvenience of having to go for the radiation treatment every day for 6 weeks, it would just have been to hard to fit it in with work.
The carbo for me was a breeze, I had very little nausea, the worst side effect I had had was hiccups 24/7 for 3 days and a heavy ache in my legs. I am on day 7 now and the juice is almost out of my system. But as you all know everyone reacts differently.
You just have to weigh it all up and do what's best for you.

Colin