switcombe,

That was my concern. My dupuytren's developed nodules and then went completely dormant for over 12 years without RT. I can understand why insurance won't cover RT.

A real problem just from the information on this website:

"After their initial growth, the small nodules or cords typically keep their size for about 5 - 6 years. Then the contraction process starts to bend the fingers. It is usually only at this late stage that patients start to seriously consider an efficient therapy, e.g. surgery. It is less well known that radiotherapy is highly efficient in the early stage of this disease."

and on the same page, "It is worth noting that not every patient with Dupuytren's disease will develop bent fingers. Specifically when the disease starts beyond the age of 60 many patients never get beyond nodules and possibly cords, and don't experience a severe extension deficit of their fingers."

http://www.dupuytren-online.info/dupuytr..._therapies.html

For me, Dupuytren's developed quite rapidly from Sept of 2008 and by 2/09, there was weakening of grip in my hand, itchy/crawly feeling in my palm that drove me nuts, some contracture across my palm from thumb to pinky finger, constant feeling of activity in my palm, some achiness that would wake me at night. I opted for NA to release the slight contracture in 2/09 and RT in 7/09. My goal for RT was to prevent further progression and contracture.

Within a couple of weeks after RT, the itchy/crawly activity in my palm subsided. Nodules reduced in size, grip strength improved to near pre-Dupuytren's level, and maybe minimal lessening of cords, but my hand did not return to "normal". The cords have tightened some in my palm and I had NA again. I didn't use a night splint the first time, but I did the second time and it clearly helps keep it from tightening up again. I have had no new nodules in the radiated area, yippee! Within the past year, 2 1/2 years after RT, I have new nodules in my middle finger, the tip of my thumb. They are staying separate of anything else going on. That to me is new disease. I can't say for sure, but I think this shows that Dupuytren's was/is still lurking and attacked a new area. At least it doesn't have the active nodules and cords to latch on like they would have had if RT had not been effective. I anticipate needing NA every 2-3 years, maybe 3-4 years using the night splint. That is not a problem compared to what I believe would be the condition of my hand now, a claw. RT was the right thing to do.

I've been watching my left hand for a year. The disease seems to be concentrated in the thumb-forefinger area as opposed the the whole palm as in my other hand. It has not moved nearly as quickly as my right hand, but it is continuing to be active - more nodules forming in my forefinger, cords tightening between my thumb and forefinger. It seems to me that it is time for RT and I am in process with planning that.

Hope this helps. No one knows what this weird disease is going to do. Absolutely no guarantees. You do research, watch how the disease affects you, consider all options, ask questions of others, read what theirs was/is like, reconsider all options, make a decision, and do it. You may never know "what if" but I think you will likely feel you made the best decision you could at the time. Nothing wrong with that. I feel very satisfied that RT was the thing to do. The results are more than I hoped for but I didn't expect to have the hands of a 17 year old.

Hi, where did you get your treatment, and did you have it done twice as is with "german Protocol"? Also, what are your thoughts on cortisone injections?

TrevB:

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It sounds like you've gone through the thought process and reached a decision. I read a quote about treating benign conditions with such a powerful treatment which said that many benign conditions can actually be very damaging to quality of life. Dupuytren is certainly one of those and the best course of action IMHO is to try to nip it in the bud asap. I didn't want to have RT but watching the disease progress (mine was progressing) to the knife was a non starter for me. 3 years down the line with disease regression and fully functioning hand I think that I chose the correct option for once. I had dry skin before and I don't think that it's any worse now and the strength is the same in the hand as it was before RT

Cambidgeshire, UK.

Maddie:

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I have had RT twice on both hands, and a small part of one hand was irradiated three times. No real side effects to speak of. Maybe a little dryness, but nothing I really notice, and I rarely use hand cream. I have an aggressive case of Dups and am VERY thankful I got the RT done. I was scared of the radiation the first time, but now I am a lot more scared of this disease than the RT .

Maddie