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Should I Get RT?
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11/30/2015 18:56
Edd74 
11/30/2015 18:56
Edd74 
Should I Get RT?

Hey all, Found this site couple weeks ago looking for treatment options for my DD. A little bit about myself: I'm a 35 year old male with DD in my left hand. I have a long list of male relatives with DD on my fathers side. I first noticed a nodule on my middle finger tendon middle of hand about a year ago and just thought "here we go!" In the begging of the year i tore my biceps tendon and had to have surgery ( left arm). Well about 3 months ago I noticed more nodules on my hand. So I've now have four nodules on my left hand, Middle, Ring, and Thumb and a cord forming on the middle. I went to a hand surgeon who said they could do nothing for me until I have contractures. This is when my wife and I started doing our on research and found Y'all! Well this morning I meet with an oncologist who does have experience with DD and is willing to do RT on my left hand. So the question i have for y'all is should i wait to see if more nodules pop up on my hand to have RT or go ahead and treat hand now? He also said that we could do RT on my right but since I don't have any nodules yet that he suggest I wait. I know i will have more problems down the road but would like to have as little as possible . Thanks for your time and I love the site!

Cheers, Ed.

11/30/2015 21:33
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

11/30/2015 21:33
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Should I Get RT?

Hi Ed

Sorry to hear about your hands. Since RT is indicated in the early stages when there are signs of activity, such as new recent nodules, growing nodules, cords developing, other symptoms such as aches, pains, tingles, itching, then it seems you are a candidate for one hand. Difficulty is as a youngish person having RT now almost precludes having it again on the same hand at a later age. Ask your oncologist though about this. If in doubt keep a weekly, or monthly log, with photos and notes of symptoms so that you have objective evidence of the rate of progression, then decide.

Based on what you have said I would not have RT on the hand with no obvious symptoms.

Best wishes SB

11/30/2015 22:52
teeps 
11/30/2015 22:52
teeps 
Re: Should I Get RT?

I'm also 35 and going into my 3rd round of radiation for DD. It's very low dose and the nodules pretty much disappear afterwards. I had one that I didn't find until a cord had formed, and that cord will never go away. You'll only want to do radiation where there is a nodule or active progression of the disease - as radiation won't do anything otherwise. My oncologist said that the electron beam that they use at such a low dose is fine to do more than once in the same area if it returns. To me it feels more proactive to have it done early on rather than waiting for it to progress - but there is the chance that it never will progress :)

11/30/2015 22:52
Edd74 
11/30/2015 22:52
Edd74 
Re: Should I Get RT?

Thanks for your input SB. I do believe I will go ahead with the RT on the left hand. The only reason I ask about the other is because I do have knuckle pad on every finger of both hands. But I will wait and see if anything happens to the other hand before I do.

Edited 12/01/15 00:55

11/30/2015 23:05
Edd74 
11/30/2015 23:05
Edd74 
Re: Should I Get RT?

Teeps, you say this is your 3rd round? Out of the first 5 treatments? or the 3rd series of 5 treatments?

Edited 12/01/15 01:06

12/01/2015 03:41
teeps 
12/01/2015 03:41
teeps 
Re: Should I Get RT?

Today was day 4 of 10, of the 3rd time I have done radiation for Dupuytren's. I had a nodule in the palm of my right hand, then 3 years later a nodule and cord in my left, and now just 5 months later I have a nodule in a finger on the right hand :)

12/01/2015 07:30
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

12/01/2015 07:30
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Should I Get RT?

OK that is interesting teeps. ProfS in Germany will only do one half additional RT (so 15Gy) on a previously irradiated area. I wonder if your oncologist has shared protocol and results? At your age it seems a bit of an experiment, so long term tracking would be interesting for all.

12/01/2015 07:32
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

12/01/2015 07:32
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Should I Get RT?

Edd74:
Thanks for your input SB. I do believe I will go ahead with the RT on the left hand. The only reason I ask about the other is because I do have knuckle pad on every finger of both hands. But I will wait and see if anything happens to the other hand before I do.
RT didn't touch the knuckle pads on my hands. It did eradicate a different scaly skin fibrotic patch I had though on one thumb.

12/01/2015 09:12
wach 

Administrator

12/01/2015 09:12
wach 

Administrator

Re: Should I Get RT?

I myself had RT 4 times. If the radiated areas don't overlap, like probably for teeps, it should not be a Problem.

Wolfgang

spanishbuddha:
OK that is interesting teeps. ProfS in Germany will only do one half additional RT (so 15Gy) on a previously irradiated area. I wonder if your oncologist has shared protocol and results? At your age it seems a bit of an experiment, so long term tracking would be interesting for all.

12/01/2015 14:22
Edd74 
12/01/2015 14:22
Edd74 
Re: Should I Get RT?

One more question for everyone. Because of insurance reasons I'm electing to have 7X3Gy treatments over a two week period rather then the 5X3Gy in two separate periods . Does anyone else have experience with this?

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