Radiotherapy timing

Hello Anna (Anna42) 

It's normal to start any day of the week as not all Radiotherapy Courses run for 20 days. (Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer is not always 20 fractions, it may be 5 or even 37!). Radiotherapy for other cancers can be any number of days depending on the cancer.

Mine was due to start on Thursday but was moved to Friday due to a machine breakdown.

I think your oncologist should have said 20 fractions over 20 weekdays (although some places do work on Saturdays and Sundays).

I hope all goes well with it - any issues speak to the Radiologists - they are great at sorting problems out.

Best wishes - Brian.

I started on Wednesday. I think its to give your body time to get used to the treatment. Your first week you will have 3 sessions before week 2, 3 and 4 when you will have a full 5 sessions before winding down with 2 sessions in the last week.

Gives you a bit of time for mind and body to acclimatize to the treatment in week 1 before you move up to 5 day weeks in the middle 3 weeks.

Rob

I had ,20 sessions in 4 weeks only weekends off 

Hi Anna42,

I had 20 fractions over 20 days which started on a Wednesday.  There was one day missed due to industrial action which meant the final one was a day later than originally planned.  At the start I was given a daily schedule with dates & times which was then revised part way through to allow for the strike.  Funnily enough it also meant most of the time slots also changed - mainly for the better so it was a silver lining.

Best Wishes

Brian

All are different, I was told that they did not like to start people on a Friday and then it is the weekend, to start again on Monday.

I started on a Wednesday, had 9 going for 10th today, I have 6 this week as I am also doing a Saturday as they are attempting to reduce waiting times. So I happily complied, there is no patient transport on a Saturday, however I drive to my appointments.

Your husband will be fine, as I say, 10th today. Side effects? Tired. Passing water more often and little at a time.

I have met some really nice people among the patients and the staff at The Freeman are so pleasant.

20 days is a long time but it does pass quickly. I wish your husband all of the best, and you must look after yourself, it is difficult upon you also.

Hi Anna42 , with PCa the only thing that matters is the total dosage as it is cumulative.  When the medics talk about Monday to Friday they really mean that the machines don’t generally operate at weekends (although that is changing in some areas).  If his treatment spans a Bank Holiday or Easter for example there can easily be gaps of 3 or 4 days and this has absolutely no impact on the cumulative dose.  Hope all goes well, just make sure he tells the team if he gets any side effects, no matter how insignificant.

yes its the norm starting midweek ,  mine started on a Thursday and finished on a Tuesday , Think its to over lap the ones finishing treatment and new ones starting 

Thank you so much for all of your lovely and helpful responses!