Re: Diary of a Tumor: Returning to Steph


"Araik Margarian" <aramargar1@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1133578140_57583@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> "Steph" <steph@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:cEi9f.371375$tl2.146766@xxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> "Araik Margarian" <aramargar1@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:1130732160_813@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> "Steph" <steph@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:Iaf9f.360364$1i.161979@xxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>
>>>> "Araik Margarian" <aramargar1@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>> news:1130723428_743@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "madiba" <down@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>>> news:1h59oez.1n707txu1drr6N%down@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>> Araik Margarian <aramargar1@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>>>>>> So, that means that I have mets and stage 4?
>>>>>> Not necessarily, its complicated but I'll try and keep it simple:
>>>>>> Stage IV is distant mets like in lung or brain, bone or liver. (M1)
>>>>>
>>>
>>>>> Should I feel that? Recently I have several feelings not having
>>>>> before:
>>>>> Not necessaary a pain but some mild itchiness - coming and going -
>>>>> in specially the stomach area;
>>>>> Some feeling like very mild heat in thick bones underneath neck (not
>>>>> shoulders).
>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Stage IV also when the lymph nodes are N3 meaning >6cm in size or in
>>>>>> the supraclav. fossa (ie down to your shoulders)
>>>>>
>>>
>>>>> The sec.op. doc. measured the lymph node and said 7cm. When I measure
>>>>> by hand it's around 4cm. He said that MRI will show more exact
>>>>> measure.
>>>>> Besides, I feel similar mild-boiling feeling on my some neck nodes,
>>>>> left
>>>>> and right.
>>>>> In contrary, the soar throat and teasting blood after biopsy
>>>>> completely
>>>>> went away, feelings in ears went away completely and nose is very
>>>>> clean
>>>>> and normal
>>>>> to breath. That's why I even think I may have lymphoma?
>>>>>
>>>
>>>>>> Stage IV also T4 tumor with any node stage.
>>>>>
>>>>> How is T4 evaluated, by CAT SCAN?
>>>>>
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Same length of time as a "standard" treatment. 5 minutes to get in the
>>>> mask, and set up the machine and bed, then 2-3 minutes for the actual
>>>> treatment.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you, Steph. Can you also evaluate my current symptoms mentioned
>>> above?
>>>
>>> By the way, my onc. plan is 8 week RT along with chemo.
>>> The sec. opinion doc.'s plan is inserting feeding tube
>>> in advance, 7 week RT along with chemo after which adjuvant chemo.
>>> Is that mean that it is very advanced?
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>
>> It means there are many ways of skinning a cat............
>> Here (BC) you would get 6 weeks RT plus chemo if having conventional
>> planning, and 5 weeks RT with or without chemo if having IMRT
>
> Steph, 5 weeks with IMRT versus 8 weeks? How you explain that except
> skinning a cat or grilling in an oven?
> Do you do more than 2 Gu in one seesion in Canada? Isn't 60 -70 Gu overall
> limit?
> Doctor said mine is spread so they use 20 min IMRT session on 12 different
> spots.
> I read here some sceptisizm about using cisplatin along. But, somehow, I
> have great
> confident to it's help. I can make rough estimate that for Canadan
> govermental fixed health care system,
> it's scheduled the minimal that need to be done. But in that case, if 5
> weeks enough for treatment, I don't want to go extra 3 week of RT.
>
>
> --
> Regards,
> Araik Margarian.
> http://journals.aol.com/aramargar1/MyAmericanDream/
>

The number of centigray is the physical dose. What's important is the
biological dose, which depends on the physical dose, the number of
fractions, the size of each fraction, the interval between fractions, the
volume of tissue treated. 60-70 Gy is getting close to the tolerance of some
important normal tissues like the optic chiasma when given at 2 Gy per
fraction. 70Gy in a single fraction would kill you, however.
Sure, in Canada's public health system we don't want to spend money
unnecessarily, but we addpt an evidence based approach, and we believe our
approach is effective and cost-effective, and gave the data to show that.
Other centres in other countries often have different approaches, but
equally effective. It's the nature of medicine....


.

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