My mother was told she had non Hodgkin lymphoma, stage 2. She has had 11 radiation treatments of the 18 she was told that she needed. She is having headaches on the right side of her head for the last three to four days, and she started having double-vision yesterday. She was told today that she needed another round of 18 treatments. She is already tired and sick from the treatments, and being disabled, and living with my sister, has been very hard on her. Her calcium levels have been going high lately, but better the last two weeks. What should be done for her? My sister is taking her to her eye doctor Wednesday. Is the treatments causing the headaches and double vision? Should she do the second round of 18 treatments? What do we need to discuss with her doctors and which ones?
Hi, Thanks for writing in. Radiation is a type of energy that is invisible. It is focused high energy on areas affected by cancer and destroys cancer cells. Even after taking precautions, it is possible that radiation therapy might cause short term and long term side effects on the optic pathway. This is the path through which the nerves carry information about our visual surroundings. Headaches and double vision might be related to the lymphoma itself or a side effect of radiation treatment. She should discuss her symptoms with the ophthalmologist and her radiation oncologist to know the probable cause of her symptoms. If it is a side effect on the visual pathway then radiation therapy might have to be planned again such that the side effects are reduced. If it is due to the cancer itself then the treatment might require modification to achieve better response. Please do not worry.