ANA Discussion Forum

Treatment Options => Radiation / Radiosurgery => Topic started by: Katrider on March 06, 2007, 06:55:21 pm

Title: Length of Treatment??
Post by: Katrider on March 06, 2007, 06:55:21 pm
Hello everybody.....  My Radiation Oncologist has suggested a 30 day radiation therapy treatment plan for me.  Has anybody had a thirty day treatment plan and if so your ideas on such??? Thank You!!! 
Title: Re: Length of Treatment??
Post by: Mark on March 06, 2007, 08:01:37 pm
Katrider,

The 30 day FSR protocol is usually done with radiotherapy machines such as Novalis and a couple of others. This primarily reflects the reduced accuracy of these machines and therefore reduces the dose level and treatment times accordingly. True radiosurgery machines usually are done in one dose ( GK or CK) or 3 fractions (CK). The radiosurgery machines  utilize higher GY ( Gray) does levels in each treatment, but actually deliver less cumulative radiation than the 30 day protocol. There are several active posters who have gone through this protocol and have done well that can better answer your questions, but the reason for the 30 days is a reflection of the limited capacity of the machine your doctors have and how it has to be used in this treatment application as opposed to other machines.

Mark
Title: Re: Length of Treatment??
Post by: pearchica on March 09, 2007, 08:38:35 pm
Hey Katrider: check out the whole radiation section- at first the research is overwhelming but if you pace yourself- you will be surprised at how much of an expert you will become by the end of it!  Good luck- Mark actually was one of my cheerleaders through out this whole process.  I have CK treatment at Stanford- three days, 40 ish minutes each session.  Very easy compared to the research involved in making my desicion.  Take care of yourself- Annie
Title: Re: Length of Treatment??
Post by: Katrider on March 12, 2007, 08:04:27 pm
Thanks pearchica, I've been doing alot of research.  The decision as to what one should do isnt easy, thats for sure.
Title: Re: Length of Treatment??
Post by: ppearl214 on March 13, 2007, 08:45:55 am
Hi Katrider,

the info Mark provided is on the money based on my research as well.... so, I cannot add much more... but hang in there. I know the decision making process can be exceptionally difficult, but I have faith in you to do what is best for you.

xoxo
Phyl