Treating headaches with radiation?

March 7, 2018 7:48 AM

A friend of mine has cancer and the outlook is not good. He just sent me a text that says they are starting "radiation today on my skull to alleviate headaches." I'm puzzled by this, I don't have a doctor to ask and I certainly don't want to bug him. Can anyone here knowledgeably explain the rationale behind this and what it might mean overall in terms of his prognosis? (Though I appreciate the anticipated sympathy, that's not what I need. I need information.)
posted by donpardo to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

Best answer: Radiation may shrink the tumors in his brain that are causing the headaches.

If the cancer is elsewhere in his body, it probably won't affect prognosis. My father had radiation to his skull to ease his pain, but it was the metastasis to his other organs that killed him.
posted by something something at 7:55 AM on March 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

Best answer: There will be more knowledgeable answers, but I just wanted to say that radiation is often used to shrink / kill tumors like somethingx2 mentioned above. I have read of patients receiving gamma knife treatments to shrink brain tumors who have been doing very well for several years now... they just go back in for regular treatments. So much of prognosis is going to depend on what kind of tumor this is, where the cancer originated (ie, is this metasticzed cancer from elsewhere or did it originate in the brain), stage, etc. And crap, I AM so sorry that you and your friend are going through this. Hang in there.
posted by machinecraig at 8:05 AM on March 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My father had cancer that metastasized to his brain as well as several other organs. He had radiation treatment on the one in his brain to shrink it to help with his comfort levels. Much like something something stated above happened to their father. It was a quality of life treatment more than anything else. It is good that your friend will hopefully not have the headaches anymore, but it most likely won't change his prognosis very much.
posted by wwax at 8:18 AM on March 7, 2018

Best answer: Another vote for radiation being used to shrink the metastasized cancer in the brain to increase comfort. This will likely help your friend feel better by reducing headaches but it's unlikely to change prognosis in either direction.
posted by quince at 8:25 AM on March 7, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. These answers make sense.
posted by donpardo at 8:42 AM on March 7, 2018

Best answer: Sorry about this news: it's not a good sign.

My FiL had cancer in his chest and back and head last year which ultimately beat him. He got radiation into his head to stop the spread of the tumors and give him some relief, but it really was only palliative.

Send your friend a text back and ask if he will get night vision from the treatment, or maybe heat rays from his eyes: these days, they will appreciate someone NOT asking about their prognosis. There's probably not much a friend can do now besides offer companionship and stories and distraction. (Of course that may just be my friends, but "black humor" is what I will want from them -- it's why we're friends.) Again, I'm sorry.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:00 AM on March 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

Best answer: The general term used in the field is 'palliative radiation,' that is, therapies used to ease pain and symptoms and not as much for the potential for cure. Best wishes.
posted by cobaltnine at 10:00 AM on March 7, 2018 [1 favorite]