Scar Tissue from Radiation?

[ejpritz]

Hi everyone,

I have posted how my mothers surgery was cancelled Monday night due to something new showing up on her spine. She had a bone scan and we will be getting the reults on Monday.

Donna G. replied and mentioned the possibilty that it could possibly be scar tissue from the radiation. My question is if anyone else has developped scar tissue from radiation. Is this common? Is the fact that this is new and did not show up on any of the Pet Scans done prior to the radiation mean that this is a plausible scenerio? She also underwent chemo at the same time as her radiation. I thought it was very sucessful since One tumor in one lung completely disappeared and the other tumor shrunk significantly. All Lymph nodes are clear, confirmed through scans and biopsies. It seems to me that if the chemo was working effectively that it would be unlikely for the cancer to spread during the treatment. Is this usually the case, or can the cancer spread even while you are under seemingly effective Chemo.

And Sorry, One more question. From what I understand Cancer spreads through the lymph nodes. Maybe I am not getting this right. Is that the normal course? Or can someone explain to me how it spreads, can it just junp from one part of the body to the other without touching the Lymph Nodes or being in the blood?

Sorry to have so many questions. It is just hard that the surgery was cancelled and I am trying to figure out if I have any room to be positive that we will get good news Monday.

Thank you all for all of the info you provide. I cannot say enough how much I apprecaite it.

Erin

[mhutch1366]

Erin,

my physical therapist told me radiation was the gift that keeps on giving.. and giving.... Radiation leads to the development of toughening, something like fibrosis, which makes air exchange harder. Radiation is also focused on a certain body part, and any rogue cells from that time outside the field of radiaton are unaffected. The chemo is supposed to take care of them, but the chemos are generally evaluated in a particular place, ie lung cancer in lung. So it is possible for something to slip through. As far as lymph nodes, I believe also blood stream can carry cells. I was told to watch for mets to brain, bone, liver, although I have seen a lot of adrenal gland involvement.

Lance Armstrong worked with his doctors so as to avoid radiation completely, I am not sure if he opted not to do any chemo. That's why he is breathing like an athlete in competition today.

That's the best I can tell you, I know it is woefully incomplete.

XOXOX

MaryAnn

[john]

Lance actually did to a LOT of chemo and actually tougher chemo than what is standard for testicular cancer. He did this because the standard bleomycin has bad affects on the lungs.

He also chose certain radiation for the brain to minimize effects. You can't go down mountains at 60 plus mph and not have your balance and reaction.

Cancer spreads through the lymph or through the blood. It can pass from one place to the other without getting stuck in a lymph node. Fay pointed out that BAC spreads within the lungs but often does not cause the lymph nodes to enlarge. Typically lymph nodes are looked more often if they are enlarged

The biggest problem with cancer is that the chemo can work for a while, but often the cancer develops resistance - you can search the web for "multiple drug resistance"

[MO_Sugar]

Scar tissue can be caused by radiation. I have some on my esophogus and also on my lung from treatment.

Prayers headed your way!

God Bless,

MO