“Can radiation therapy weaken bones?”
If I undergo a radiation therapy to treat my cancer, will it weaken my bones? I am trying to weigh each of my options before making a decision.
5 Answers
Generally, radiation will not have any effect that would weaken bones. This is something that is usually associated with older age (osteoporosis) or with treatments that lower hormones (estrogen or testosterone).
Yes it can, if significant volume or length of the bone receives an excessive dose of RT.
Normally should not but with damaged bone from cancer. It can make the bone broken.
Most of the modern equipment used nowadays does not do so. Often the radiotherapy was done to prevent fracture when the tumour had spread to the bone. It is very common practice nowadays to have a bone modifying agents eg zometa or xgeva being given to strengthen the bones when multiple bones are affected by cancer.
Radiation therapy can make bones brittle and more susceptible to fracture. This is dose dependent. Your radiation oncologist will take this into account when making a treatment plan to keep the bones exposure to radiation under the tolerance dose.
