Secondary bone cancer - radiotherapy?!


Question:

Secondary bone cancer - radiotherapy?

A close relative has just been diagnosed with secondary bone cancer. In the space of a week the pain has got so bad painkillers are not working and it even hurts badly when she's resting. She is due for a session of radiotherapy in the next week or so. How will this help with the pain? How quickly will it become effective, and for how long?

Additional Details

2 weeks ago
The cancer started in her breast and had spread to the lymph glands. We thought chemo had got it, but it hadn't. She has been fine for over a year now then began to get pains a few weeks ago, last week secondary was diagnosed. I am just worried at how quickly the pain has become so bad for her. Its all happened in about the space of a week.


Answers:

Hi Heather,

It sounds like her breast cancer has spread to the bone. This is a metastasis of the original cancer, not a secondary cancer, really. Breast cancer spreads most often to brain, bone, lung and liver.

But, semantics aside, this is certainly a serious situation for her and your family. It is distressing that she is in so much pain. The radiation therapy will hopefully slow down or even shrink some of the bone growths. Some people will see reductions in pain (my mother got much better), and some will not.

I hope that it helps your relative.

MM




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