We met with the radiation oncologist who is planning the treatment for my wife's spinal tumors. It's pretty amazing actually. We'd all love to find a systemic cure for melanoma, but in the meantime cut and burn is a way to extend life, often at reasonable quality of life. We were told my wife's spinal tumors we essentially untreatable, and a couple years ago they probably were (which would have led to debilitating pain and loss of lower body function).
We met with the radiation oncologist who is planning the treatment for my wife's spinal tumors. It's pretty amazing actually. We'd all love to find a systemic cure for melanoma, but in the meantime cut and burn is a way to extend life, often at reasonable quality of life. We were told my wife's spinal tumors we essentially untreatable, and a couple years ago they probably were (which would have led to debilitating pain and loss of lower body function). But now, with this new radiation equipment, they can fry enough without impinging on the spinal cord or other organs to buy her some good time (we hope). She has 12 identifiable tumors in the epidural space from her ribcage to lower vertebra and one in the tailbone. But the radiologists said that the entire area was likely cancerous, like a coat of sugar on the walls of the epidural space. Cyberknife is too precise, it could only hit the identified tumors. But the Tomo therapy radiation can hit the entire length without damaging the cord or organs – it's not precise enough to do a tiny tumor but not so big it causes damaage beyond what is intended. I think it's just incredible the advances they are making in this area.
She is going to do 15-20 treatments over the course of the next 3-4 weeks. The key question is how much of a dose to the area – he wants enough to do the job (recognizing melanoma's alleged radiation resistance) but not so much it is toxic to area. And you only get one shot at this area – if there is any recurrence it can only be treated by a Cyberknife spot treatment. He's shooting for a total dose of 3,750 Gy.
Side effects are expected to be pretty minimal, aside from fatigue. Unlike the old external beam radiation the way this works it avoids large doses to the organs so your stomach and intestines don't get all screwed up.
So our attitude has changed from being pretty morose to being somewhat more optimistic – that she can buy some time and good quality of life. It even got her thinking about the holidays – that she might be around to enjoy them!
Nick
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