Radiation For Bone Cancer Pain
Do you have pain in a particular place and cause a lot of complaints? Then the radiation doctor can irradiate the painful sore in the bones. You are irradiated at the site where the tumor or sores are located.
Often, you will receive a short treatment: 1 radiation or a short series of 5 to 10 irradiations in 1 or 2 weeks. In a short series of irradiations, there are hardly any side effects. And it has a big effect on the pain. More than three-quarters of all people who have been irradiated due to bone pains have no more pain after a few weeks. Or they need fewer painkillers.
Because you have less pain, it improves the quality of your daily life. Sometimes for a long time.
Sometimes, when irradiating the bones, the 1st day or days is an exacerbation of the pain before it decreases. This is called a flare-up.
Does the pain become less after treatment, even after a few weeks? Then contact your radiation doctor.
Irradiation from the inside
Do you have pain in bones in several places in your body? Then you can get an injection or an infusion of a radioactive drug. The radiation is then from within. Examples of these radioactive agents are:
- rhenium-188
- samarium-153
- radium-223
The treatment with radioactive substances is as effective as external radiation to fight pain. The treatment can be combined with other treatments such as hormonal therapy.
The amount of radioactive substance used is very small. The radiation does not endanger your environment. The treatment has few side effects. However, the number of platelets may decrease temporarily. Blood platelets are important when stopping the bleeding. In case of deficiency, wounds bleed faster and longer. For example, you may notice blue spots. But the chance is very small that you notice something of a temporary drop.
*Image source : London Health Sciences Centre
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