[mrbdjames]

Radiation after corpectomy

by mrbdjames on Sun Sep 08, 2013 3:54 pm

I was diagnosed with a plasmacytoma on my T1 vertebrae back on March 25th and had emergency surgery to remove the T1 vertebrae and stabilize my spine (was going numb from chest down). I had a corpectomy of the T1 and a fusion from C5 to T3. On June 20th I stared radiation and had 25 treatments. My pain level was very low before radiation (rad) but by the 3rd week I was having a lot of pain again. My pain has subsided but not gotten back to the pre-radiation level. 6 days ago I woke up and had more pain than usual and also noticed a burning sensation down my L tricep (which I recognize as nerve related). Since then both arms now burn, my L pec muscle and across my entire upper back. My neurosurgeon is out of town but saw the Hematologist and ran my numbers (pending results). CT did not show anything and he doubted it was related to myeloma since I just finished rad. HERE'S THE QUESTION: If you had rad after a corpectomy, how was your experience? Did it make your pain worse? Has anyone had a failed corpectomy? Is it possible scar tissue from rad is causing the spinal cord to be impinged? Not sure what is happening but this is the first time I have felt nerve pain since the surgery in March and I am concerned as it is getting worse but the only thing I can do is wait for my neurosurgeon to come back (3 days to wait still).

[Kate]

Re: Radiation after corpectomy

by Kate on Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:25 pm

I had a corpectomy on C6 and C7 in mid December. I finally took some radiation treatments (10 at 25 if I recall correctly) the end of Feb. as my neurosurgeon impressed on me over and over that I should get it as he could not get all the cancer out and I had a transplant from my hip bone.

Anyway, I have no more of the previous pain. Occasionally, I feel some pain in my shoulder blades (which I did then, too - referred pain) but we ran a cat scan on the corpectomy and everything was fine. But I have small lesions on the shoulder area, so that's probably where it comes from.

All the other neurologial pain and neuropathy were gone immediately after the corpectomy and none have come back to this day. So, please don't worry. Worry doesn't help. Just contact your neurosurgeon and we will know what to do. Kate