Hello everybody,
It's been a very long time since I posted, but have been lurking. Things have been up and down so many times, but I was able to answer most of my questions without bothering anyone. Unfortunately, that's not the case now.
I will spare you all the details (please see revised signature), but Dennis has just found out that his margins are still positive along the vertebra in the neck. He just has recovered from his second pec flap reconstruction on May 7. (Believe it or not, he is going back to work tomorrow....YES Dennis is still the stubbornest man I've ever known lol) The surgical oncologist says further surgery is not an option, but he is looking into possible re-radiation. Even if the original radiologist declines, he is determined to get him treatment through the rad dept. at Johns Hopkins.
My question is how many of you have been re-radiated after recieving a so-called lifetime dose? And is this "lifetime dose" related to strictly the initial area? Or maybe general area (such as "neck")?
Rereading this, I feel like the most illiterate person possible. Please overlook my deficiencies. I just need to get a grip on the idea of radiating again. I will never forget the original radiologist telling us that "I only have one chance to cure you, and it will be hell, but if you will trust me, I will get you through this. If not, salvage surgery is our only choice". We've had two salvage surgeries so far........
Thank you all, and to the old friends here, it's a pleasure to see you again....and to all the new names, I'm so sorry that you have to be here. I would much rather you didn't have a reason to read this.
Love,
Mandi

I had 32 radiation treatments to the left side of my mouth and neck in 2004, 30 treatments Jan/Feb 2008 to the right side of mouth and neck. Yes, it is possible. I was bugging my RO the other day - saying that if it came back again I expected additional radiation. He did not discount it - saying that there are various "knives" and other radiation treatments that might be a possibility. I think it would depend on the location and time since last radiation for him to rule it out completely. It also would help for your RO to know how radiation was tolerated before. I certainly did not become emaciated or have permanent total tissue/bone destruction from the radiation.

It certainly would be worth looking into.

Donna

Mandi,

We are seeing more people that come to this site saying there are getting radiated for the second time so lets pray this will do it for you.

Mandi:
A lot has changed with radiation since 2002. Many of the machines give a pinpoint dose instead of a large scattered dose.
So it may be possible to give radiation to a patient a 2nd time again.

Secndly, since you've had positive margins, I would ask your doctors about "Induction chemo Therapy." Myself and several others have had very favorable results. Ask your doctor about the TAX 323-324 "Cisplatin, Fluorouracil and Docetaxel in Un resectable Head and Neck Cancer." published in the New England Journal of Medicine on October 25, 2007. Also in the news section of OC website, another study has just been published that repeats the results from the first.

Sandyst

This is not an endorsement, but it never hurts to check out all your options. If you have any questions, please write.