Two years ago, I noticed a lump on my left foot. I went to my podiatrist, and she informed me that it was Ledderhose Disease, and the nodule was wrapped around my plantar tendon. She also said that many times these nodules are self limiting in growth, but if it did continue to grow and became painful, the only solution was surgery to remove my plantar tendon which creates a whole new set of painful problems.

My podiatrist gave me a prescription for 15% verapamil gel. It is very time consuming and VERY expensive. It may have helped slightly, but the main thing it reduced was my bank account.

Earlier this year, the nodule on my left foot started to get larger and painful, and I developed one on my right foot which became painful. I knew right then that if a long term solution for my problem was going to be found, I was the one who was going to have to find it.

During this time, I was following the progress of Xiaflex through FDA approval. Xiaflex was approved earlier this year for the treatment of Dupuytren’s Disease. As has been stated on this web site, DD is more cord based, and LD is more nodule based. Xiaflex apparently works for DD, but may or may not work for LD. I have not read or heard of anyone being treated for LD with Xiaflex, so the jury is still out.

Ruling out verapamil and Xiaflex, I discovered a treatment on this web site that has apparently been VERY successful. That treatment is radiation therapy.

I found several studies showing the success of radiation therapy. Also, I read several patient accounts of successful treatment with radiation therapy. Most importantly, however, this web site has a list of clinics in the United States that provide radiation therapy for LD, and here it is:

http://www.dupuytren-online.info/radiotherapy_clinics.html

The closest clinic to me was the University of Oklahoma. Here is their information:

University of Oklahoma
Health Science Center
Dr. Terence Herman
Chairman, Radiation Oncology
825 NE 10th Street, Suite 1430
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Phone – (405) 271-3016

I called them, and they told me that they have in fact successfully treated LD with RT. They told me the patient receives seven radiation treatments in a five day period. One on Monday, two on Tuesday, one on Wednesday, two on Thursday, one on Friday, and then you go home.

Four weeks ago I drove to Oklahoma City to receive the treatments. I can tell you that I have never been around a nicer, more helpful, professional group of people than those at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center. They were truly outstanding.

I am also happy to report that in the four weeks since my treatments, the nodules are 30% to 40% smaller, and the pain is completely gone. The only side effects I had from the radiation was a slight sun burn effect for a couple of weeks, which the doctors told me I would probably have. A little Aquaphor ointment on my feet easily took care of that. I am now walking pain free on the golf course again.

With twelve locations in the United States offering radiation therapy as a treatment for LD, six of these being university hospitals, it appears to me that the podiatrist community has not been properly educated on this option.

I would like to thank the people who contribute to and maintain this web site. After much searching, I believe it is truly the most informative site on LD on the web. It is well maintained and everyone is very professional with their thoughts. If it was not for this web site, I might not have discovered radiation as a treatment option for LD. Of course, most of all I would like to thank Dr. Herman, the administrative staff, and the radiation therapists at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center.

A very helpful and informative post for someone (i.e. me) new to the site. Thank you.

It has now been four months since I had radiation therapy for my LD. I am happy to report that since my first post, the nodules have continued to shrink. They are now 60% to 70% than their original size and have become softer. I continue to be pain free. The only reason I was able to have this “quality of life” changing treatment was the information I obtained on this web site. I also want to again thank Dr. Herman and the staff at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center Department of Oncology.