Hello!

I have been a lurker for a while, but was diagnosed with DC in March after noticing a bump that popped up on my hand in mid Feb. My Dad has DC in both hands, I'm a musician in a top symphony in the nation (regular tours to carnegie, european tours, etc) and so am geared to any anomalies with my hand. I had hope that this would only affect me later in life (ie after 55) but alas, it has not as I am 36, and it is aggressive. I received my first radiation treatments on the nodule literally a month and a half from the time the nodule first popped up (this after visiting 2 hand specialist with one saying i should accept my career will be over and to become a yoga instructor... after a hand surgery of course). Unfortunately, in this short time a cord had already developed from the ring finger to the base of my thumb. The main nodule on my ring finger is not a bumb any more, but had expanded between the 6 weeks between the first and 2nd treatments... oh well, nothing more can be done for that finger.

However, and to come to my question, they radiated a pretty large section of my hand. Well a new bump has started on my middle finger just on the fringe of the first radiated area. In fact, I would say the new nodule is about half in the previous radiated area and not. My question, any one knows the risks of treating the same area with another 30 greys? I have a little concern since 20+ years means I'm only 56 and, while I have no doubts that the muscle cancer on the hand is a VERY low risk, I don't know the risk for a radiated area of 60 greys. I was told they would not radiate the same area twice and only 3 different treatments on a single hand (ie 6 treatments total).

I had hoped for another 25+ career as a symphony musician, but am beginning to think a hand with a bunch of contractures becomes hard to mitigate with NA (I have no doubt that radiation will delay onset, but no illusion that it will stop it cold). I am leaning towards more radiation. (wolfgang I would love your opinion on my question)

Thanks!

musician42:

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Hello!

I have been a lurker for a while, but was diagnosed with DC in March after noticing a bump that popped up on my hand in mid Feb. My Dad has DC in both hands, I'm a musician in a top symphony in the nation (regular tours to carnegie, european tours, etc) and so am geared to any anomalies with my hand. I had hope that this would only affect me later in life (ie after 55) but alas, it has not as I am 36, and it is aggressive. I received my first radiation treatments on the nodule literally a month and a half from the time the nodule first popped up (this after visiting 2 hand specialist with one saying i should accept my career will be over and to become a yoga instructor... after a hand surgery of course). Unfortunately, in this short time a cord had already developed from the ring finger to the base of my thumb. The main nodule on my ring finger is not a bumb any more, but had expanded between the 6 weeks between the first and 2nd treatments... oh well, nothing more can be done .