Radiation to spine for bone met

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited July 2019 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Hi wondering if anyone can share experience with radiation to spine for bone mets. My last scan showed activity in L1 and my MO referred me to radiation oncology. First visit is tomorrow.

I was stage IV de novo, had no radiation or surgery yet. I was NED for a year after six months of taxol and H&P now this showed up on my last scan

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  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited May 2019

    Hi Olma~. I had radiation to my spine for a met on my T10. It lasted 2 weeks and other than the annoyance of having to go every single day, it was pretty uneventful. I have 3 small dot tattoos I was given when they set me up. The radiation treatments themselves were quick and painless. Other than some fatigue, I really had no symptoms.

    Good luck tomorrow! I hope your treatment was an uneventful as mine was

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    Oh, that's very encouraging! Thanks so much. My MO did say probably 5 to 10 days every day, but I'll definitely know more tomorrow. Chemo was pretty bearable for me, hoping this will be too!

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited May 2019

    I went for 10 sessions. Lower spine. The only thing that happened was my stomach got a little unsettled. From the sidelobe because they were radiating quite a good-sized area. Zantac should take care of that. No other side-effects.

    This is nothing compared to chemo. Nothing. Of course, "famous last words".


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  • Moomala
    Moomala Member Posts: 436
    edited May 2019

    I just finished radiation to T10-12 over ten days a few weeks ago. Pretty easy. The worst two parts about it were having to go there every day, and the table you have to lie on for the treatment is sooooo hard...it bothered my back a bit after getting up.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    Thanks, ladies! Really appreciate hearing your experience!

    Had the consult today, going back next week for the simulation. Doctor said 10 sessions, conventional radiation.

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  • ABeautifulSunset
    ABeautifulSunset Member Posts: 990
    edited May 2019

    have you considered Cyberknife for the one spot? I highly recommend it

    Sunset

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    Cyberknife was an option but my insurance won’t cover it

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited May 2019

    Olma----Thank for giving me link to this thread!!!!  Very encouraging.   I go for consult this Fri for consult for compression fracture to T10.  

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    Good luck! I will think of us in there 'together' and send positive thoughts!

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited May 2019

    Hi Olma,  By now your radiation therapy should be about over.  Mine is just starting.

    two questions---how long did the stimulation take ?

    Is it possible to drive myself there and back home?  (35min. each way)

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    Hi snooky - I had my simulation this week. Haven't started treatments yet. I was there about an hour for the simulation. No one mentioned having someone there to drive me home, they just gave me a parking pass. I also live around 45-ish minutes away from my center - I'll probably be driving myself for at least part of the time.

    The doctor said side effects are minimal for the area I'm having treated - lumbar spine. Maybe some nausea that's all.

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  • lzoe
    lzoe Member Posts: 2
    edited May 2019

    Did anyone experience esohpagitis (sp?) from the radiation to the spine?

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  • lzoe
    lzoe Member Posts: 2
    edited May 2019

    Did anyone experience esohpagitis (sp?) from the radiation to the spine?

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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited May 2019

    I had this with burning sensation in the chest, difficulty swallowing, reflux. I tried not to lay down in bed until after 3 hours from having dinner, chew well or eat soft foods, and not exercise or take a walk right after eating. I had radiation to the thoracic spine.

    I also got a parking pass from the hospital and drove myself for weeks to radiation.

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  • ts542001
    ts542001 Member Posts: 56
    edited May 2019

    thanks to all of you for the above info.

    going to rad. onc consult appt tuesday - have significant disease to T-12, L2, L4, L5 and some to S1. dont know what their plan is yet, had pet scan yesterday, results not ready till tomorrow (since radiologists clearly dont work on holiday weekends)...hopefully that will be the only areas that need radiation. i would like to get this started asap, i am in a lot of pain.

    will let you all know how i make out. and btw, there is no reason you cant drive yourself for radiation unless you are too fatigued.(had radiation 15 years ago to breast - that was 33 treatments i believe)

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited May 2019

    I drove myself too, and I was recovering from a spinal fusion at the time. 'Course the cancer center is only 20 minutes from my house.

    Yes, I had an upset stomach from the rads to L3-S1. Zantac would have taken care of it if only I had known I should take it. LOL

    Good luck to you, TS!

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited May 2019

    Thanks to all who answered my questions about driving.  Finally have my appt for my stimulation,  June 6th.   Yours took an hour, that's what the nurse told me too. About an hour.   Very grateful that I can drive myself.  

    HUGS to all

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    My first treatment will be tomorrow afternoon. I'll post an update tomorrow night!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2019

    ok here’s my update - Got a locker, got changed. Rads Therapists told me today would be a bit longer because of scanning and setup, the actual radiation was three minutes. The entire appt from walking in to leaving took about 45 minutes.

    I belched immediately after the machine was shut off and I feel a little acid reflux this evening.

    Driving home, I had a wave of nausea but then it passed. Felt like slight car sickness. I stopped at the grocery store after fighting traffic, I felt a little low energy but could also be due to being a little sleep deprived.

    When I got home, I had diarrhea :p but I did have my H&P infusion yesterday which sometimes causes that, so YMMV. My stomach feels pretty settled now, I ate only a few rice crackers and a small piece of cheese so that my stomach is not on overload tomorrow.

    The rads therapist said side effects usually occur after a few days, like a cumulative effect. So, we’ll see if it gets worse next week.

    Wishing you all a good and effective “zapping” if you are waiting your turn!

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited May 2019

    Oh Olma, thank you so much for your update.  I hope that it gets easier as you move along.  Stay positive.  One down, 9 to go.  One day at a time.

    You are in my prayers,

    S

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  • Sparkles2_2
    Sparkles2_2 Member Posts: 10
    edited May 2019

    I had radiation to my lone met at t5 but they used a cyber knife treatment so it was 2 sessions 1 hour long each and the met is now gone and I am NED. I have come to find out that only certain hospitals have this Cyber knife option,. good luck to you


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  • lissalou
    lissalou Member Posts: 66
    edited May 2019

    hello all,

    I will be having radiation to T 11, L1 and L3. I am a little nervous about side effects and laying on a hard table. Do we need to fast for the radiation treatments or the MRI to place the tattoos? It's tricky for me because I'm a diabetic. I take Percocet and Aleve for pain. Did anyone find something better for pain? I have been on ibrance/femara for 44 months so I feel lucky to have made it this far on one treatment. Anyway, gentle hugs to all.

    Melissa

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  • kitkit
    kitkit Member Posts: 80
    edited May 2019

    did your insurance pay for the Cyberknife? I had one treatment to T6 and have been fighting with Anthem ever since. Now it's out for independent review. I attached articles that made it clear that this is a very efficient and effective treatment for a spine met with 95% chance of success. Anthem said their guidelines require that I fail on another radiation first before they'll approve it. Makes no sense to me based upon the medical literature. It costs much less for Anthem to pay for 1 or 2 sessions rather than 10









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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2019

    Snooky - thank you so much and hugs right back to you!

    About Cyberknife - my hospital does have it and the RO offered it but I had gone ahead and checked out my insurance company's guidelines before hand, and it was as KitKit stated above - they would pay for Cyberknife to re-treat the same area, but not for a first time rad session on a spine lesion. Made no sense to me either. I printed it out and showed it to the doctor to see if he thought he could have it reviewed, but he said it didn't look good, so I just went with the 3D EBRT. I would have preferred the Cyberknife but oh well. According to the doctor, Cyberknife would be "slightly more effective". It's a pretty small lesion at 1cm and not very "brightly lit" on the scan films, so I am hoping this will take care of it.

    Lissalou - no fasting was required. The table is pretty hard, I think they had a blanket under me and they do try to get you in a comfortable position. But the session is short if you're having EBRT like I am, so you won't be on there too long. I am having to keep my arms over my head, they asked if I could do it which I can, but I assume if someone can't, they have an alternative position you can be in.

    Sparkles - great to hear the treatment put you back to NED. I am praying for similar results!


    I feel good today after session, but I did have a wave of nausea again - I went to the park to exercise, but tried to take a little bit easy. I was almost done when I felt a little queasy, so I left. But now I'm home with the air conditioning on and I feel fine.

    PS - I hope the Cyberknife billing works out in your favor, kitkit.

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited June 2019

    Olma,  by now you must be about half way thru your rad treatment.   I had my simulation yesterday.   The RAD DR.    said that my treatments would start early this coming week.  That I'd probably have fatigue and acid reflux.    He seemed very optimistic  that they could clear out all cancer from my T10 thoracic spine .

    Just ten treatments.  So, I'm eager to start and get it finished.  My chemo (taxol) will be halted until this is finished.  

    Thank you for all your help and kind words.    HUGS

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2019

    Hey snooky - Yes, I finished my 7th treatment today, three more next week and I'll be done. It has gone swimmingly. I have gone walking / worked out every day this week after tx. The only symptoms I've had was a little bit of nausea in the car on the way home, I pack some crackers to eat when I feel it coming on and that seems to do the trick. Other than that, I have been a little acid-y some days, not every day. Last night I woke up with a burning stomach and I can't think of anything I ate that would have done it, so I'll blame the rads. Not terrible, just popped a tums and went back to sleep.

    My center is great in that there was little to no waiting when I showed up for appts. I was in and out in fifteen minutes most days - not like infusion day!

    As the ladies above told us, it has been a breeze! I think "commuting" may have been the worst part.

    Not sure when my scan will be - the RO is passing that task off to my MO.

    Hope yours goes as well as mine and that it works for you. Big hugs right back at ya!

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited June 2019

    " not sure when my scan will be..."

    Oh, so there is another scan after the treatment to show if it worked? No one told me that. But good to know.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2019

    Yes, sometimes a scan is done about 2 months later, it has to be at least that long to get an accurate result. But some don't do it that soon, either. My MO is not scan-happy, she might just want to wait til October when I would have had one anyway. Not sure and I don't see her til July.

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  • snooky1954
    snooky1954 Member Posts: 883
    edited June 2019

    Olma, So you should be finished today? I just got my call and I start tomorrow, the 13th a Thurs. I sure hope it's as easy on me as you found it to be.

    I'm eager to get this going. Thanks for all you help. S

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2019

    yes, Snooki, all done! Now I wait...

    Hope you have an easy time and good results too! ❤️🙏🏼 Rooting for you

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