Cannot have any more treatments???

[boomer]

Somewhere I have read that using some treatment, (I'm not even sure which one it was, I thing Cyberknife) stated if you do this you will never be able to have any more radiation treatments forever.  I can't find anythink like this again.  Have I dreamed it up?
Will somebody please set me streight, please.  My AN must be growing and making me goofier.

[jazzfunkanne]

Hi i dont know about that , i am from the uk we have gammaknife over here abit like CK and they say if you have this then go down the surgery route it makes the op harder to do (i dont know why) i think it may be because of scarring.

[ppearl214]

Hi Boomer,

Yes, Cyberknife (CK) can be redone (one reason I chose it as my AN treatment option)... and I know of some that have been redone (for other intracranial tumors).

Please inquire to the docs on the CK Patient support board (http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/) as they are very well versed on all forms of radio-treatments (ie: GK, CK, etc as many of them perform multiple radio protocols) and they can further elaborate on which radio treatments can be redone, if necessary. Please keep in mind the high success rates of radio treatments such as CK and GK that to be "rezapped" is very small in numbers. Yes, it does/can occur, but the % have been extremely low.

If your question pertains to having radiation for other ails (ie: breast cancer, etc), then yes... you can have other radio treatments for those ailments as well.  I'm lousy as describing the technical aspects/answers, but CK and GK use different kinds of rads in treatment vs. those treated with radio for cancers and such. Again, the docs there can better answer... and if you do a "search" here, you will find threads on it as well.


Hope that helps.
Phyl

[sgerrard]

You may have simply read it here; it comes up from time to time.
For a recent thread on the subject, try "radiation myth? Or fact?" - http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=7274.0.

The notion applies to whole body radiation, and to some degree to radiation of a large part, such as the whole head. None of the radiation treatments for AN are in that category; they focus the radiation on the tumor itself.

It is the case that both radiation and surgery can produce scarring, making a second procedure "more difficult" in the unlikely event of regrowth. "More difficult" usually just means it takes longer; the outcomes of such surgery are often just as good as first time surgeries.

Steve

[Jim Scott]

Boomer:

As Phyl and Steve have explained, the 'no more radiation, ever' myth commonly associated with radiation treatment (CK,GK,FSR) for acoustic neuroma persists, probably due to a lack of understanding about the effects of radiation.  Unfortunately, even some physicians still haven't gotten the memo that this is not factual. 

I trust that you've followed the links provided and no longer entertain any worries about never again being able to undergo any kind of radiation, should you elect a radiation treatment for your AN.  Besides, there is nothing 'goofy' about trying to clear up a misunderstanding.  I hope this exchange has accomplished that. 

Jim

[Nancy Drew]

My AN doc referred me to another AN doc for a second opinion (I asked for the referral).  Apparently this AN doc didn't get the memo either, as you mention Jim.  SCARY