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Witchdoctor

If this happened AFTER the irradiation and chemo, I would suspect THRUSH or a yeast infection of the esophagus. This can be treated with Mycelex Trouches and Diflucan. Usually the esophagitis with treatment occurs during treatment and resolves after. If what you describe happens it is usually something else. You can use the mouth wash and liquid Carafate to sooth and even oral pain meds for a time. Take 30 minutes before eating.

Witchdoctor

Sometimes swallowing therapy will work. Also "stretching" the tongue ie. just moving it around will prevent it from "scarring down". It is important to try to eat some, at least. If you don't use it , you lose it. Speach therapy also involves retraining yourself to swallow. It is difficult, but just waiting and not taking preventative measures just makes it a certainty.

Witchdoctor

Xerostomia is a common side effect of radiation. It is more or less , depending on the area treated.
In some cases nowadays we can spare the salivary glands to some degree and it is not AS bad. Sometimes , if IMRT is used , it can decrease the dose and some recovery occurs over time. If 2 dimensional or even 3D was used and it is a tongue lesion then recovery would be minimal. Many people adapt to it with time.

Witchdoctor

Xeloda is a precursor to 5Fu which gets converted inside the cell. It may even be targeted therapy since most cancers have a higher concentration of the "polymerase" which converts it. Most studies are showing at least equivalency to the IV and some are showing better results. Probably due to the dosing schedule.

Witchdoctor

You need to see a radiation oncologist. If he has a large mass in the pelvis. Radiation should be given even if Palliative. If you wait for symptoms it will be harder to control. If there was just small disease then a wait and see approach would be appropriate. Not in the case you describe however. Most Med Oncs know little about the appropriate use of irradiation as most have never spent any time during training even doing a clinical rotation. They have many of the misconceptions of other non onc. physicians and even patients. You should at least get an opinion. Uncontrolled disease in the pelvis can be very symptomatic and it is worthwhile to prevent even it cure is not possible.

Witchdoctor

She need irradiation, should have had it up front if tumor was that advanced.

Witchdoctor

With a gleason 9 and a positive margin you should have been started on ADT and irradiation concurrently and ADT should have been continued for two years at least. Your PSA is still low and should have been monitered for longer. Have you been restaged at all? Combined androgen ablation has shown some increased benefit but the QOL is much less, so there is a tradeoff. When the PSA starts to rise , I would like to document where the disease is located as if it is in the Lymphnodes it may still be salvageable. Jumping on a rising PSA too soon could eliminate some options.

Witchdoctor

It involves two nights in the hospital, two procedures, two anesthesias and the results are not any better than other methods. Probably more expensive as well when all charges are added. The acute and long term side effects are more frequent due to the procedures and lastly it is more time intensive for the physicians. You sound more like a seller than someone undergoing the procedure.

Witchdoctor

Terricida,

Obviously a uro. This is the problem with retrospective studies, by definition they look at the past. They are valuable only in evaluating what was done AT THE TIME. They can indicate new directions that need to be taken to IMPROVE results. However, this is dated, it is not new data at all, every retrospective study during this time period would show the same thing. The treatment has changed and improved since the cut off of the review and NEW prospective studies, some randomized, that the new Radiation treatments are much better, with fewer severe side effects and equal cure rates. And just like surgical failures , radiation failures can at times be salvaged.

Witchdoctor

Yes it is possible, though in early stage disease not oftern. If the PSA did not go to zero after surgery then some would recommend ADT and irradiation to make sure no local disease remained. If it went to zero and then started rising then there is some need to try to determine local recurrence versus distal spread since the former is salvageable. If you see no disease, then based on patient age, health etc. Some would treat the prostate bed and surrounding tissues anyway.

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Witchdoctor

Witchdoctor's Message Board Messages

RE: burning of esophagus

RE: Tongue cancer

RE: Dry Mouth From Radiation

RE: Anyone know anything about Xeloda?

RE: How long?

RE: Recurrent Thymoma

RE: To John W

RE: HDR MONOTHERAPY

RE: Conclusions Our study results suggest that surgery offers the best chance of long-term prostate

RE: Can cancer return after RP even if you had no positive margins

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