For patients that had chemo or radiation, infections are the curse of the rest of their lives (a.k.a. "late toxicities develop only in people who survive"
. You've got to nip these infections in the bud ASAP.
You advised your oncologist about your problem, but they do not have any answers as they treat the cancer and leave all the side effects up to us or other means (family physician).
Some of the "other means" should be specialists to treat your side effect symptoms. A Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist for neuropathy, a Pulmonary Specialist for radiation pneumonitis, a Neurologist for leukoencephalopathy or worse, radiation-induced necrosis, etc. This is not what oncologists do. They don't know how!
Radiation pneumonitis is a lung inflammation infection. One of the side effects of chest radiation therapy involves the lungs. When high-energy rays are used to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing again, it is inevitable that normal cells are also affected.
Especially after radiation treatments within the chest or the breast, the lungs may become inflamed (radiation pneumonitis). If radiation pneumonitis persists, it can lead to scarring of the lungs (radiation fibrosis). Longer term side effects of scarring is radiation necrosis.
When radiation exceeds tolerated doses, inflammation of the lung can be seen from one to three months after treatment. The process can be lethel when both lungs are involved or if threshold doses of chemotherapy (if used) have been exceeded (particularly Taxol). Recovery from the acute phase usually occurs and the second phase follows almost immediately.
Taxol appears to increase the risk of lung inflammation and researchers have reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggesting using Taxol with caution. It is sometimes used along with radiation treatments since it is thought the drug might enhance the radiation effects. The combination may cause more problems than it solves, like radiation pneumonitis.
Eventually, progression to the late fibrotic stage occurs. Radiation pneumonitis "should be prevented." Corticosteroids can aid in recovery from acute pneumonitis. Antibiotics for infection and supplemental oxygen may be needed.
Because radiation pneumonitis is thought to occur as a result of excessive generation of free radicals in healthy tissue after radiation therapy, radiation-induced pneumonitis can also be treated with antioxidants.
