1. < Cancer: Managing Symptoms

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

Posted by patrickf1 @patrickf1, May 13, 2022

In September 2020 I had superficial radiation therapy for a small squamous cell cancer on the right side of my left foot. It took three months to heal an open wound that developed. I had severe pain…shooting and throbbing…for the entire time. The wound closed by 12/31/20. In January of 2022 the wound returned. No cancer but really sever pain. Open would. Currently undergoing hyperbaric oxygen treatment. What are you experiencing?

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | May 14, 2022

@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?

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1 reply
thielmann1 | @thielmann1 | Jul 3, 2022

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

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ritan | @ritan | Nov 9, 2022

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.

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1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Nov 19, 2022
In reply to @ritan "Hi my husband is hopefully recovering g from tongue cancer, it is eleven weeks since radiotherapy..." + (show)
@ritan

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.

Jump to this post

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/

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patrickf1 | @patrickf1 | Dec 14, 2022
In reply to @colleenyoung "@patrickf1, welcome. Fellow members @mindyt @mari @squaredancer @eva75 and @zenk have talked about their experiences with..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

@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?

Jump to this post

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.
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