Re: Breast-cancer patient gets radiation overdose

[Al Tschaeche <antatnsu@pacbell.net>]

Pickett, Bruce D wrote:

> Breast-cancer patient gets radiation overdose at UW
> by Warren King Seattle Times medical reporter
 
> The most recent radiation accident was discovered when the woman's skin
> turned red, like a sunburn, Laramore said. The woman received a total of
> about 7,600 rads of radiation over the four weeks instead of the prescribed
> 3,600 rads.

My wife had radiation treatment for brest cancer several years ago also
by linear accelerator.  The prescribed dose was 5000 rads over 28 days. 
Her skin turned red as expected.  She is completely free of any cancer
anywhere in her body now.  The difference between 7600 and 5000 rads is
significant, but not so significant as the difference between 7000 and
3600 rads.  It is interesting that the prescribed doses (3600 and 5000
rads) are so different for the same malady.  Does anyone know if there
is a standard for dose for brest cancer treatment?

Of even more interest is the TEDE for such treatment.  When I asked the
radiologist what the whole body dose for the 5000 rad brest treatment
was going to be, he said, "None."  I was a little surprized at that
answer because it was very apparent there would be a large amount of
scatter in the treatment room and the beam does not stop immediately off
the target organ.  So I put some TLD badges at various points on my
wife's body during the first day's "shot."  My evaluation of the data
from those badges was the TEDE was 28 rads, essentially one rad per
day's treatment.  To me that is not "none."  Does anyone have other data
on the TEDE for theraputic brest cancer radiation treatment with linear
accelerator?  Al Tschaeche antatnsu@pacbell.net
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