Wound from radiation therapy won't heal: What helps?

@patrickf1, welcome. Fellow members @mindyt @mari @squaredancer @eva75 and @zenk have talked about their experiences with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and may have more to share with you. I've also added your discussion to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms group.

Patrick, is there any explanation why the wound returned more than a year later? Is there a way to avoid re-injury once the wound heals again? How many HBO treatments have you had so far? Is it helping?

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is recommended for healing wounds from breast cancer.

Hi my husband is hopefully recovering g from tongue cancer, it is eleven weeks since radiotherapy finished, he has a feeding tube but is being encouraged to eat. The ulcers in his mouth under the tongue are making it impossible, we are trying salt water, and aspirin gargles caphosol mouth wash and all sorts of over the counter products Without much success.
How long should these ulcers take to heal, should we be worried.

Hi @ritan, mouth sores from head and neck cancers are awful. I can imagine you are worried. You may wish to connect with others in these related discussions:

- Getting frustrated with throat pain post radiation https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/getting-frustrated-with-throat-pain/

- Tongue Cancer: What are my treatment options? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cancer-under-my-tongue-and-raised-lymph-nodes/

Coleen, sorry that I did not see your note. The CEO , Joseph Sardano, of Sensus Healthcare tells me that my response to the radiation is “one in a million” I don’t believe him. I think he knows more and doesn’t disclose to patients.

I finished HBOT in July. It dramatically eased the pain and the wound from the radiation finally closed in November I had forty two hour treatments.. I am doing better now.

There is an effect from radiation called late radiation therapy injury. The good cells have been damaged by radiation and can cause open wounds years after treatment. Hopefully, after HBOT the wound will not reopen.

I hope anybody who has had SRT will be in touch with me.

Thank you for your interest in this subject.

The use of Superficial Radiation Therapy in lower legs is contraindicated. Injuries documenting injuries and similar experiences to your wound experience are documented on the FDA Maude Database. This can be found using the following search criteria….www.accessdata.fda.gov. Search Product Class Field under the defined category “System, Therapeutic X-Ray”. Date field should be set Starting 01/01/2016 to find the past 7-years of report history

I too have had the same complications and would like to be in contact with you. I just posted a resource from the FDA adverse event website for your reference

You may find this blog relevant if you can find Caroline Fife MD. There is a section called stop the madness of shin radiation. You will find photos very similar to your injury

I completed radiation treatment February 6, 2024, for squamous cell ca of my Rt shin, it was initially diagnosed as lichen Planus,since then I have severe pain, like stabbing burning pain, I’m concerned that my dr is not addressing this effectively, it is not healing

Oh dear, @soozemom17, that looks nasty and must be painful and worrisome. I can understand your concern about it needing to be addressed.

Might you ask for a referral to a wound nurse? A wound care nurse is a registered nurse who specializes in treating wounds, Your cancer center likely has an oncology nurse specializing in radiation wounds. Have you asked about hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)?