I'm currently starting my 4th of 7 weeks of radiation from a Radiation Oncology place in VA. Last week I noticed that hair fell out of my head in two spots: The back of my head level with the lower part of my ears just off my spine.

Also, my left eye feels very tired or weird (not dry eye) and mu upper left cheek bone feels like it's a bit radiated (dryish, sore).

I asked my oncologist why the radiation is hitting two spots in back that appear to be where my brain is. She said that there are so many places that have to be missed that some just have to be hit to treat the lymph nodes.

I have the R tonsil under 3cm and two R lymph nodes 1.6 cm and .9 cm right next to each other.

I would think that targeting these is pretty standard, no?

Any input is much appreciated!

Joel

Joel:
When I started radiation, my doctor told me that my hair at the base of my head will fall out and not return. It's because of the amount of radiation in this area.

Sorry, I don't know about the other things.

Sandy

Joel -

I can tell you that my radiation, targeted at my right upper palate area, also hit and affected my nose and upper lip extensively. The IMRT targets the cancerous tissue, but inevitably hits other tissue on its way there (that's how I understand it, anyway).

Can you ask your RO to give you a more detailed explanation of the targeting process...?

Thanks for the info. RE my RO, I told her yesterday that I'd like to see the planning details. She said I could me with the guy who does it.

I found out the guy who does it. He told me that he floated through the army, then the navy, then he was a roadie for a few years. Finally he said that he realized that he needed a job and 15 years ago the degree was only a two-year degree, not the four year certification like it is now so he fell into this job!

Wish me luck!

Joel,

My center had a computer outside the IMRT room that the tech could call up the target areas on my head. I also had the RO show me them and the new areas when they reduced the target area near the end.

I am right soft palet, and they hit the right lymph nodes hard just in case so I had the neck hair and facial hair go. I can only grow a gotee now. My right ear sings to me all day and I still have fluid in both ears but 1 month out thats getting much better.

Ask the tech to see the targeting images on the computer screeen.

Kelly

Kelly,
Where were you treated?
Joel

Joel,

The radiation will likely cause the hair on the back of your neck to fall out but it should return (my did) but it takes a while. All my whiskers fell out towards the end of rad and only the ones above my chin line returned so I will never have to shave below my chin line. Only good thing about my rad. IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) is designed to limit the damage to our good cells but still will damage some reaching the targeted area and exiting the target area. We also can experience scatter radiation damage. Gary is our resident radiation expert so maybe he will expand on what I have just said.

Joel,

I was treated at the Lemon-Holten Cancer Center in Grand Rapids. I do not think it is officially a CCC but I had the team approach.

This is a brand new facility and when I checked with my two 2nd opinion folks University of Michigan and Penn, they both said that the equipment used was the latest and what they would treat me with if I went to their facilities (Varien IGRT) IG stands for Image Guided. U of M has their own proprietary software for targeting and U Penn uses the Varian software as does Lemon- Holten.

UM is very well respected for Head and Neck cancers, my RO was trained there and they refer all cases on the west coast of Michigan to him so I am getting just about the same treatment as I would have at U of M. U Penn�s guy said he would follow the same course of treatment except no Ethyol ( I did it anyway).

Kelly

Joel

Like DavidCPA, the whiskers below my chin are gone forever. However, after a year, the beard on the top portion of my face did come back requiring daily shaving. I am now the proud possessor of an awesome Victorian Handlebar mustache and that is after 97 GY of radiation ending just in June of this year. As a bonus, when I get a haircut, I no longer need the back of my neck shaved.
Charm

lol. Excellent responses all. Thanks.