Can you help me understand what those effects are and what that means for Blue. Everything I've read says old school is more dangerous. It means a lot more days with anaesthesia. BTW, Neko went from echocardiogram all clear and good to go to a month before her second SRT to 2nd degree heart block the first day of anaesthesia and they almost couldn't revive her. Understandably, I'm nervous about acrokitties and anaesthesia and believe in limiting to as few days as possible. There is also higher potential for brain damage from the radiation therapy vs SRT. Meaning higher "early radiation side effects". Here is a
2015 article that talks about SRT vs conventional. That same article says severe late radiation side effects are rare.
As it was explained to me and makes sense, both SRT and FR are external dose therapies. With SRT, the total dose is much more concentrated that FR in which the total dose is divided into smaller doses which require more sessions because they are smaller. but no less precise. Although still as precise as SRT, breaking the radiation into smaller doses allows the best dose to be given with the least damage to normal tissues. Both SRT and FR are contemplated in relation to where the tumour is located and where it is adjacent to other structures, for example, the optical nerve. It has to be taken into account that Blue has already had SRT. I hear you about acrokitties and anesthesia. Eddie is a prime example. Blue is more tolerant of anesthesia as can be seen in his 3 hour dental surgery. I would never let him have anesthesia without an anesthesiologist, for sure.
I read the article you posted and it does mention something I hadn't thought of: namely that SRT "can be used to treat many types of tumors; however, t
hese tumors must be intact at the time of treatment; S
RT cannot be used to treat a tumor that has already been surgically removed. This is the case because the surrounding surgical site would also need to be irradiated leading to severe normal tissue toxicity. "
This was also interesting: "More severe late effects [with SRT] may include necrosis, fistula, or stricture. In c
onventional curative treatments, (i.e. FR) the plan is designed so that less than 5% of patients will likely suffer these severe side effects over 5 years."
Believe me, time-wise (which the article mentions) would be much more preferable for me because I'd have to travel only once to Calgary rather than twice. And, I really don't want Blue to be away all that long. The radiation tech however said to me today that she will update me daily, send me photos and video. I call that a win when compared to that hellish experience I had with Eddie at the other clinic.
