 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Yes. Apparently the radiation causes the artery to narrow and in my case the ND caused the carotid to become very convolulted, like a paper clip that had been pried open making it very tricky business to put in a stent. The vascular surgeon at HUP decided he would not do the surgery and when I said I didn't like that option, he sent me to a surgeon at Hahneeman who said he 'get your butt in here next week'. Stent was put in carotid a week later. No problems since.
One of the reasons I was so adamant about getting the stent is they said it was caused by radiation. Since I had XRT and my other carotid was about 40% blocked, I didn't want to wait until both were blocked and they could do nothing, like happened to my father.
Take care,
Eileen
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Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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