What exactly is the amount of lifetime radiation we can recieve? I have read Rosemary had 20 treatments, I had 30, Ishbel 32, Vicki has had her lifetime maximum. On other boards I know of some who had 42 treatments.

Is there a maximum for a specific targeted spot?

Is it different when you have it generally to the face and neck as I did than to a target tumour?

Can you ever have it again or is it restricted to a specific number of treatments?

Is this too complex to answer........

Pauline, That is a good question. I have been noticing that others have had different numbers as well..Perhaps Doc can help us out with this question. I had 42 treatments the first time...I was told I could have no more..However I was given the implants which only go to the very spot where the tumor is at. I had the same amount as before but in 10 days instead of 4 months. So I have no idea at this point what is the lifetime doseage, but I do know that I cannot have anymore radiation at all. I can have chemo, which at this time is not an option to me..ALways, Vicki Lynn

I am seeking advice ,,,,, :coffee:

Here are the answers to your questions I put to my expert colleague, Dr Coyle:

quote:

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Radiobiology in a few sentences:

(1) For patients requiring radiotherapy there is no legal restriction on lifetime radiation dose. There are legal constraints on people who work with radiation as to their monthly amounts etc.

(2) Patients who have had radical courses of radiation to a specific area are unlikely to be offered radiation to the same area in their life time. Although occasionally there are reasons to re-treat, they are quite specific. Radiation may be given to other areas of the body however.

(3) The dose of radiation delivered is dependent on the tumour type, the tumour size, the spread and the combination of radiation with surgery and or with chemotherapy. It also depends on the position of the tumour and the position of sensitive organs near the tumour. As well as variations in the total dose given, there may be variations in the dose per fraction. It is possible to give the same biological dose but vary the amount of radiation given each day. That is also dependent on the above facts and also the patients age. Therefore the dose may vary, or the same biological dose may be given but in 20, 25, 30, 35 fractions. Dose may be delivered in some centres several times a day, with an shorter overall treatment times. Some of the differences in fractionation in the UK are also historical and depend on the geography of the centre and the training back ground of the doctors. There is no absolutely set dose or fractionation. (She said: """It isn't that we just make something up! However it is all part of the intricate training that we go through.""")

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Now, I know too!

Best wishes
Vinod :coffee:

Dr Joshie, Is it true that the Radiation is in your body for the rest of your life1
I get so weak and tired is this the reason

Paul

Thanks Vinod for finding out.

I don't think as patients we are given enough technical written explanation of the therapy. I think the leaflets are written at too low a level assuming that everyone has a low IQ and so the leaflets often simplify so much that very few real facts emerge.

Hi Paul
The fatigue is a side effect from your treatment. The radiation is not something that is put into you, though it might feel like that!
Best wishes
Vinod :coffee:

HI Dr Joshie, Does this mean in time I should see

an improvement?
I feel like an old man at the moment everything an effort and I get tired very quickly :banghead:
I have found a Voluntary job nr home for a Disibility Charity but I am sure they done belive me when after 2 hours I need to go home to rest!!
any advice on how to tell them?
I do not discuss at all my Cancer except with the boss who has asked ME a few questions

Hi,
I have just registered. As I am not a native speaker, I have got some problems in understanding. What is lifetime radiation? How do you count it. As I know my Dad has been made internal radiotherapy lasting three days. Is it considered to be one treatment or three? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Hello Kim

Welcome! See my post on radiobiology above. The biological dose required in usually given in 20, 25, 30, 35 fractions taking 4-7 weeks, with weekends for rest days. In some centres, the dose may be delivered several times a day, with an shorter overall treatment times. So your dad appears to have had 3 fractions so far, unless they gave him more than 1 fraction each day.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes
Vinod

:coffee:

Dear Dr Vinod,
Thank you four your reply. I want to ask you one more question. I wrote my story in introduction but no reply yet. The thing is, 6 months have passed after the therapy, and now Dad feels burning in the sore place. He had no surgery, radiotherapy only. Does this burning mean that the new tumour is appearing or just it is a side effect of radiotherapy? I will appreciate your answer. My best regards

Dr Vinod,

I am a bit concerned about your colleague's way of 'counting treatment times' explanation.

As far as I understand, we supposed to count total Gy amount - ie. radiation only therapy = 40-45gy, after operation = 60-70gy (70gy lifetime max) for one particular area for head & neck.

I was given 2gy * 30times(6weeks) = 60gy after the operation however depends on the people, it could be spread out 1.5gy * 40times(8weeks) = same 60gy.

I don't know about internal radiation amounts but all in all, it has to be more than treatment times I think.

Sorry if I sound a bit rude - but just would like to define matters!

Ryoko x

Hi All

You will find out all you wish to know in this National Cancer Institute's Radiation Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers factsheet.

Best wishes
Vinod :coffee:

Thank you doctor.

I have read through the fact sheet but all we are caring here is specifically Head & Neck radiation amount, which is not mentioned.

Since I may, in the future, go back to Japan and have to explain what exactly I had in England (though I hope I won't have to) I have been asking every point to both my surgeon & radiotherapy oncologist and writing them down.

Could you (or your colleague) confirm that for tongue cancer it is 60Gy after operation radiation (being within 70Gy max) is more or less current/common treatment in the UK?

I greatly appreciate your help,

Ryoko xx

Hi Ryoko

Different tissues can tolerate various amounts of radiation. For example, the liver can receive a total dose of 3,000 cGy, while the kidneys can tolerate only 1,800 cGy. The total dose of radiation that can be tolerated is usually divided into smaller doses (called fractions) that are given daily over a specific time period. This maximizes the destruction of cancer cells while minimizing the damage to healthy tissue.

The doctor works with a figure called the therapeutic ratio. This ratio compares the damage to the cancer cells with the damage to healthy cells. Techniques are available to increase the damage to cancer cells without doing greater harm to healthy tissues.

If you want to sit an exam , there is much more infornmation in """Principles of Radiation Therapy""" . Good stuff but trying to understand the Compton effect made me want to :boxedin: !

Best wishes
Vinod :coffee:

An amazing 'ko'mmon thread :
In Japan, 'ko' means a child (usually girl), but check out:
Kore in Greece
Kaur in India
Ryoko in Japan