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What happens during radiation for esophageal cancer?
Esophageal Cancer | Last Active: May 23 5:50pm | Replies (63)Comment receiving replies
@lionsfan I'll second all that was said. I was treated at MD Anderson. Because of backup while they constructed a new above-ground facility (the cyclotron underneath stayed), I had one week of photon and 4.5 weeks of proton. There is no comparison in the side-effects. IF anyone can get proton, they should. My app for proton was approved immediately, but they wanted to get me started on radiation because my cancer was at a "turning point." It was into the adventitia, but not through it, and was not into either the regional or remote lymph nodes. IOW, it was at a turning point and they wanted treatment of some kind to start immediately. I'm puzzled at your initial refusal from Medicare. I thought they were approving it for all cases routinely...
Replies to "@lionsfan I'll second all that was said. I was treated at MD Anderson. Because of backup..."
@earle Medicare's refusal made no sense, particularly since Mayo Clinic charged the same amount regardless of it being Photon or Proton. It was only through our appeals that they relented. The irony is that Medicare ended up paying for the 5 day hospital stay caused by the Photon caused percarditis.
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@earle We are not old enough for Medicare yet. We are just using my work insurance. My husband also has CLL which is in his lymph nodes but they discontinued that treatment when he began this treatment. We go to MD Anderson for follow ups on that. Our local oncologist and MD Anderson stay in touch about his treatment. He had a PET scan a couple of weeks ago and his lymph nodes had shrunk, some significantly. His oncologist believes that was due to the Keytruda he takes. I am not sure what type of radiation he will be getting but now I know to ask. Thank you so much for the information!