Radiation Concern Need Help

my mom had chemo in aug-nov 2005 to treat her NSCLC it seemed to work ok, now less than 6 months later the cancer is back and bigger then before...shes a diabetic, weighs 114 pounds fully clothed soaken wet...the cancer doc recommended trying radiation treatment. my concerns are what will be the side effects of it on her and how it will make her feel....the doc gave her 6months to a year to live, but if she does radiation it could extend that time out 2-4 months longer. i don't want her to be in pain or discomfort, but i also don't want her druged up on meds...i don't know what to do. please help me with any suggestions or comments....Thank you.......

Loving son,
~Anthony

The problems with radiation are connected to the location of the tumor. If it is in the lobe, radiation tx are relatively troublefree. If the tumor is close to the esophagus, they can't help but irradiate the surrounding tissue and she may have problems with swallowing.
However, ask the doctor about the gamma knife. Not every hospital has it. Ask him if she would be a candidate and if yes, switch hospitals if necessary. It is much more troublefree than regular radiiation.
Ev

My dad was diagnosed with stage IV NSLC 3 years ago - he was given 1-2 years to live with treatment. He's done several types of chemo, most of which have had positive results. He tried radiation and it didn't really do much for him as far as shrinking tumors, but there was no new growth during that period, which was good. It's worth a try - it's not nearly as hard on the body as chemo and it's targeted to the specific area. Ask her doctor about Tarceva. Are you familiar with it? My dad started it 2 weeks ago and other than the horrific rash all over his face and head (apparently an indicator that it's working), has much less side effects than chemo. It's a second line treatment, so since she's already done chemo, she should be able to qualify for it.

You didn't say where the cancer is exactly so I can only guess at where the doctors are wanting to do the radiation. My sister in law had radiation last fall from mid-September to right before Thanksgiving on the cancer in her lymph nodes in her neck, in her brain and in her chest every day except Saturday and Sunday. By the time she completed the required number of sessions she was so burned that her skin was black and falling off as if she'd been in a fire. She tried every cream and ointment that they recommended but in the end nothing stopped the pain. She has permanent scarring.
The radiation did temperarily shrink the cancer in her neck and in her brain, however, it came back.
I'm really sorry for what you are going through. Believe me when I say I know it's not easy watching someone you love suffer.
I wish that I could give you something positive and tell you that there are no side effects and that the radiation is pain free but that's just not the case. Whatever she decides to do, just support her the best you can.
God Bless you both, Theresa

In response to your message, I lost my husband to lung cancer in 1989. At that time, the only treatment recommended was radiation therapy. They gave him 6 months to live without the radiation & he opted to have it done. If I could do it over again (unless there have been huge strides in radiation), I would discourage it. He lived 8 months, but from the time his radiation treatments ended to his death, he had numerous other problems, lung collapses being the worse & was hospitalized with drainage tubes most of the last 3 months he lived. I wish the oncologist who recommended the radiation had emphasized the problems radiation can cause. Be sure to ask direct questions and demand direct answers. Good luck to you & your mother.