bry444:

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New to the forum/site. Have pretty aggressive disease. Male, age 55. Both hands, multiple digits and both palms have been affected. Have undergone surgical resection 3 times in last 3 years (one re-do on 5th finger after recurrance). Currently having recurrant disease on another finger after prior surgical resection just one year ago (no contracture yet - just nodule/cord development). Have been reading the posts and literature and see little comments or published studies on radiation therapy following post-surgical resections to hopefully arrest or delay progression of disease or recurrance. Can anyone provide any information in this regards? Radiation therapy has apparently been proven to arrest early disease so it would make since that post-surgical radiation in known aggressive disease cases would prove beneficial as well. I would assume that the post-radiation risks would be greater in the sense that your radiating previously damaged (post-surgical) tissue with it's inherent scarring, tightening and possibly thinner subcutaneous remaining tissue. This potentially would also impair post-surgical healing in future resections however that risk may be acceptable if the radiation therapy is ultimately effective in arresting disease progression. If anyone could direct me to a German Institute Medical Center or German/British Specialist that is knowledgeable or performing studies in these cases, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Thank you for your responses. I will pursue contacting the German specialists and post any responses received. Bry

When Dr. Denkler performed a NA procedure on both my hands I told him that I was scheduled for XRT in Germany. He said at that time that it seemed like a good idea to do this as a can't hurt might help ancillary treatment. This attitude is expanding with NA and other treatments as ways to deal with the effects of Dupuytren's and XRT as a way to slow down the progression of the disease.

Although some pain is involved daily stretching of the affected areas is something else that Dr. Denkler recommends. He mentioned that people with affected feet who walk each day are doing a lot more stretching than people with affected hands and his thinking is that this strongly suggests the benefit of daily manipulation.