Severe burns following brain radiation

My husband has Stage IV Lung Cancer..  They were unable to start Chemo because they found a brain tumor metastasis.  This Cancer Institute sounded very good at first, telling us we'd have a team of Radiation and Chemo Oncologists, Nurses, etc. and that they would meet every two weeks to go over treatment plans.  They were going to start Andy on Radiation, but then they got the results of more tests that showed Late Stage, Terminal Lung Cancer and said he would have to have Chemo first. The day we went for his first Chemo, they said he'd have to have Radiation first, because of a brain metastasis.  We've heard nothing from any "team" and his Radiation Oncologist just flies down the hallway and can rarely be caught to answer a question.  Andy just completed 15 whole brain radiation therapy treatments.  He has to go back in 4 days for a "Mega blast" to the tumor itself.  His head is bright cherry red, with multiple deep burns with scabs, open sores behind his ears and on a few spots on his head and face.  Yesterday he caught the doctor long enough to tell him his head hurt and itched severely.  The doctor told him to use 1/2% Hydrocortisone cream on it.  It is not helping at all.  Does anyone know anything that would help his poor head?

 

On 10/17/2009 CoriM wrote:

My husband has Stage IV Lung Cancer..  They were unable to start Chemo because they found a brain tumor metastasis.  This Cancer Institute sounded very good at first, telling us we'd have a team of Radiation and Chemo Oncologists, Nurses, etc. and that they would meet every two weeks to go over treatment plans.  They were going to start Andy on Radiation, but then they got the results of more tests that showed Late Stage, Terminal Lung Cancer and said he would have to have Chemo first. The day we went for his first Chemo, they said he'd have to have Radiation first, because of a brain metastasis.  We've heard nothing from any "team" and his Radiation Oncologist just flies down the hallway and can rarely be caught to answer a question.  Andy just completed 15 whole brain radiation therapy treatments.  He has to go back in 4 days for a "Mega blast" to the tumor itself.  His head is bright cherry red, with multiple deep burns with scabs, open sores behind his ears and on a few spots on his head and face.  Yesterday he caught the doctor long enough to tell him his head hurt and itched severely.  The doctor told him to use 1/2% Hydrocortisone cream on it.  It is not helping at all.  Does anyone know anything that would help his poor head?

yes, my husband just went through head & neck rad for stage iv melanoma. Here are a few things I did:

1.)keep area very clean, use a natural sponge and johsons baby shampoo in luke warm water. (my son was burned a few years ago & i learned this trick from the nurses in the burn unit) glad I remembered it.

2.) the rad onco will not be happy with this but this is what I did:At the drugstore  get domesboro or bowens solution, its a powder that has to be mixed with water. HOWEVER MIX THE SOLUTION VERY WEAK,( about 1:80 solution) solution calls for 1:40.... other wise it will dry the skin too much....MORE IS NOT BETTER in this case. I applied it by soaking gauze in the solution then wrapping his head & neck for about 3 minutes. AT THE MOST...

3.)there is a cream called "my girl radiation cream" i bought it on the web site www.radiationcream.com. follow the directions carefully. 

our rad oncol almost had a stroke when i told her i used the domesboro, but she said she was glad that I used common sense in applying, she has seen folks ruin their skin by over doing it.

I did this as a ritual every evening, he healed beautifully and derived some comfort. We still use the cream after showering, it is really good stuff. Your husbands itching is the healing process and the skin being so nasty. Probably looks like his head was stuck in a vat of acid. thats how it was here.

You have a tough road, hang in there, dont carry it all yourself, God Bless

Cor I would get another doc and he should not be having radiation with such severe burns.  My opinion but I have both been an RN and a patient so you are in charge not them!! Demand more help....mms

On 10/17/2009 CoriM wrote:

My husband has Stage IV Lung Cancer..  They were unable to start Chemo because they found a brain tumor metastasis.  This Cancer Institute sounded very good at first, telling us we'd have a team of Radiation and Chemo Oncologists, Nurses, etc. and that they would meet every two weeks to go over treatment plans.  They were going to start Andy on Radiation, but then they got the results of more tests that showed Late Stage, Terminal Lung Cancer and said he would have to have Chemo first. The day we went for his first Chemo, they said he'd have to have Radiation first, because of a brain metastasis.  We've heard nothing from any "team" and his Radiation Oncologist just flies down the hallway and can rarely be caught to answer a question.  Andy just completed 15 whole brain radiation therapy treatments.  He has to go back in 4 days for a "Mega blast" to the tumor itself.  His head is bright cherry red, with multiple deep burns with scabs, open sores behind his ears and on a few spots on his head and face.  Yesterday he caught the doctor long enough to tell him his head hurt and itched severely.  The doctor told him to use 1/2% Hydrocortisone cream on it.  It is not helping at all.  Does anyone know anything that would help his poor head?

 

Thank you SO much.  I will order the cream right away.  Finally yesterday at the chemo clinic a girl gave us two samples of Biafine topical emulsion.  He's saving it for after his final targeted radiation this afternoon (Tuesday).  They are so wonderful in that unit and we are so very glad to get away from the Radiation clinic.   Sorry for venting so much in my "question", but your answer made me feel better.  God bless you too, and I will be praying for your husband also.  Sounds like we are on the same journey right now.

Feel free to email me privately if you'd like.  (Not everyone, please)

As I said in my previous post, today is the last day, and the only one targeting the tumor.  The burns are from whole brain radiation.  However, we got his latest MRI result back and the mass is the same size.  We do understand that it may take time.  Thank you for answering me!  God bless you.

MMsurvivor, please read my response to Shell-Dean because it's intended for you also.  I forgot to say that I did call and tell the triage nurse how terrible the burns were and that his Rad. Onco refused to give him an rx.   She said she would call one in immediately and we could go pick some samples up if we wanted, but it is too far to go unless absolutely necessary.  70 miles a day uses a lot of gas and we're saving every penny for the expenses not covered by insurance. Thank you for spurring me on to demand some help!  God bless you.