EXPERT
Robert L. Ebeling, III.
Radiation Oncologist
Dr. Robert Ebeling, III. practices Radiation Oncology in Denton and Plano, Texas. Radiation oncology is a medical specialty that involves treating cancer with radiation. While Dr. Ebeling, III. specializes in treating breast, GYN, and lung cancers and in the use of brachytherapy, he treats all types of cancers with radiation using the vast array of radiation therapy techniques. Radiation therapy uses carefully targeted and regulated doses of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells.
21 years
Experience
Robert L. Ebeling, III.
- Denton and Plano, Texas
- Baylor University
- Accepting new patients
No results found
Is radiation therapy painful?
Radiation therapy itself is not painful; think of it like a powerful X-ray. You don't feel anything when you get one of those. The side effects might be painful. These are limited READ MORE
Radiation therapy itself is not painful; think of it like a powerful X-ray. You don't feel anything when you get one of those. The side effects might be painful. These are limited to the area treated and build up over time. In your mom's case, I would imagine she would have some skin irritation that could lead to pain towards the end. I hope that helps.
Is radiation therapy recommended for breast cancer?
Radiation plays a large role in the treatment of most breast cancers, and would be considered part of the standard of care. There are exceptions such as smaller tumors where the READ MORE
Radiation plays a large role in the treatment of most breast cancers, and would be considered part of the standard of care. There are exceptions such as smaller tumors where the patient has a mastectomy.
Is skin pigmentation common with radiation therapy?
It is fairly common when our target is near the skin. How red/irritated your skin becomes is a combination of your skin type and the dose of radiation your skin got.
Can lymphedema be caused by radiation therapy?
While radiation field size does increase your risk of lymphedema slightly over surgery alone, the type of surgery you had is the biggest risk factor by far. Radiation certainly READ MORE
While radiation field size does increase your risk of lymphedema slightly over surgery alone, the type of surgery you had is the biggest risk factor by far. Radiation certainly doesn't make matters better, but surgery is usually the culprit.
Should I ask about side effects at my radiation oncology consultation?
Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt! Even if I don't know exactly what type of radiation I will be using yet, I review all the side effects of each. In this way, I am being upfront READ MORE
Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt! Even if I don't know exactly what type of radiation I will be using yet, I review all the side effects of each. In this way, I am being upfront with the patient so they can make an informed decision.
Should I consider natural medicine for cancer?
There are anectodal reports of this working, but there is rarely any data to back this up. With traditional medicine we can at least predict outcomes and side effects, with natural READ MORE
There are anectodal reports of this working, but there is rarely any data to back this up. With traditional medicine we can at least predict outcomes and side effects, with natural medicine we can't. Not only that, it may delay actual curative therapy past the point where you can safely be treated.
What are some side effects of radiotherapy?
First, your doctor is probably correct. With appropriate radiation, we can now save people from having an amputation. For your question about side effects, it would depend greatly READ MORE
First, your doctor is probably correct. With appropriate radiation, we can now save people from having an amputation.
For your question about side effects, it would depend greatly on where the tumor was exactly. Radiation is a focused, local treatment, so its side effects are limited to the area treated. Often, a chondrosarcoma on a distal appendage, this greatly limits the short term side effects other than skin irritation and fatigue. Muscle can take very high doses of radiation without much in the way of side effects. Chondrosarcoma by definition is near a joint. This can mean that the joint can become stiffer over time - off set to some degree by exercise and moving the joint. The biggest long term side effect that we worry about is a tumor caused by the radiation itself. This is very uncommon and is dependent upon the age of the patient (the younger the patient, the longer they have to develop a second cancer). You should talk to your RadOnc about what that risk might be for you.
For your question about side effects, it would depend greatly on where the tumor was exactly. Radiation is a focused, local treatment, so its side effects are limited to the area treated. Often, a chondrosarcoma on a distal appendage, this greatly limits the short term side effects other than skin irritation and fatigue. Muscle can take very high doses of radiation without much in the way of side effects. Chondrosarcoma by definition is near a joint. This can mean that the joint can become stiffer over time - off set to some degree by exercise and moving the joint. The biggest long term side effect that we worry about is a tumor caused by the radiation itself. This is very uncommon and is dependent upon the age of the patient (the younger the patient, the longer they have to develop a second cancer). You should talk to your RadOnc about what that risk might be for you.
How soon would I experience side effects after starting radiation therapy?
Not likely. We typically say that any side effects from radiation start off as nothing and SLOWLY build up. Most people notice some effects between the 10th and 15th treatment. READ MORE
Not likely. We typically say that any side effects from radiation start off as nothing and SLOWLY build up. Most people notice some effects between the 10th and 15th treatment. Fatigue is very variable; some women have tons, and some have none.
Is a biopsy done through radiology?
It depends on the type of biopsy being done. It could be as simple as a "fine needle aspiration" (FNA) done in the doctors office to as complex as a full surgical case for an READ MORE
It depends on the type of biopsy being done. It could be as simple as a "fine needle aspiration" (FNA) done in the doctors office to as complex as a full surgical case for an "excisional biopsy". Most fall somewhere in between. A large portion of biopsies are "CT guided biopsies" meaning they are done in Radiology. They use the CT images during the actual procedure to help ensure they biopsy the correct lesion.
What is the success rate for radiation on cancer?
That greatly depends on the type cancer being treated, the stage of cancer being treated, and the patient's co-morbidities. You also bring up an excellent point of what exactly READ MORE
That greatly depends on the type cancer being treated, the stage of cancer being treated, and the patient's co-morbidities. You also bring up an excellent point of what exactly constitutes "success." For example, a small, peripheral, node negative lung cancer treated with stereotactic radiation has a local control rate of >95%, but the overall survival depends on the patient's characteristics. If they are otherwise very healthy, their 3-year overall survival can be around 95%, but if they have a host of medical problems, it can drop to 10% (note - this means the patient dies of something else, not the lung cancer). On the flip side, if you have advanced pancreatic cancer, the 1-year survival rate is only 10%, regardless of how healthy the patient is otherwise.
I hope this helps.
I hope this helps.
What Breast Cancer treatment is recommended?
I would highly recommend chemotherapy followed by breast and lymph node radiation. Your high number of positive lymph nodes is the driving factor in that decision.
Is there a chance of eye damage during radiation therapy for nose cancer?
The short answer is yes. Over time radiation can damage the retina and/or result in cataract formation. This, however generally would not start until about 6 months after the READ MORE
The short answer is yes. Over time radiation can damage the retina and/or result in cataract formation. This, however generally would not start until about 6 months after the radiation ended.
Is there something to be applied to the rest of the body during a radiation therapy?
Typically no. The noticible effects of the radiation on the skin will be limited to the areas that are within the beam's path. It can be helpful to use a prescription steroid READ MORE
Typically no. The noticible effects of the radiation on the skin will be limited to the areas that are within the beam's path. It can be helpful to use a prescription steroid cream (such as mometasone) in the treated area, but there should not be much, if any, effect on the skin of the rest of the body.
How long does a radiation therapy treatment usually last?
The actual "in room" time is typically between 10-15 minutes. The beam is only on for about 2-3 minutes.
For uterine cancer is radiation required even after removing the uterus?
The answer to your question depends greatly on what features the cancer had when they examined it after surgery. For endometrioid, small, grade 1 tumors that do not invade more READ MORE
The answer to your question depends greatly on what features the cancer had when they examined it after surgery. For endometrioid, small, grade 1 tumors that do not invade more than 1/2 of the uterine muscle, sometimes there is no further treatment needed. For more advanced stages, or if the tumor was clear cell or papillary serous, the adjuvant treatment may include radiation with or without chemotherapy.
My skin looks burnt after a radiation therapy session?
I am assuming that by "second radiation session" you mean you have only had two treatments. If this is the case, the skin changes you are seeing are not from the radiation. The READ MORE
I am assuming that by "second radiation session" you mean you have only had two treatments. If this is the case, the skin changes you are seeing are not from the radiation. The radiation side effects are cumulative, slow to onset, and typically don't start until about the second week of treatment.
Is loss of appetite normal for a patient undergoing radiation therapy?
In general, radiation therapy can cause fatigue which can lead to less desire to eat. In that respect it really does not matter where he is being treated, although I would have READ MORE
In general, radiation therapy can cause fatigue which can lead to less desire to eat. In that respect it really does not matter where he is being treated, although I would have to say complete loss of appetite is unusual unless he is being treated to his brain, esophagus, stomach, or rectum.
Is it an issue if someone undergoes a mammogram in pregnancy?
Short answer: Not likely. Long answer: While there is no "safe" dose of radiation to a developing fetus, dose to a developing fetus is likely very, very low if done with modern READ MORE
Short answer: Not likely.
Long answer: While there is no "safe" dose of radiation to a developing fetus, dose to a developing fetus is likely very, very low if done with modern mammography equipment. Most mammogram units have a plate that is installed perpendicular to the machine just below the imaging plate. This ensures that a woman’s stomach does not get in the way of the image (if she is overweight). This plate is also shielded to avoid excess radiation dose to a woman’s stomach/bowels. In your wife’s case, this likely provided shielding for the developing fetus in her uterus. Although the risk to the fetus was diminishingly low, I would still talk with her OB-GYN about your concerns.
Long answer: While there is no "safe" dose of radiation to a developing fetus, dose to a developing fetus is likely very, very low if done with modern mammography equipment. Most mammogram units have a plate that is installed perpendicular to the machine just below the imaging plate. This ensures that a woman’s stomach does not get in the way of the image (if she is overweight). This plate is also shielded to avoid excess radiation dose to a woman’s stomach/bowels. In your wife’s case, this likely provided shielding for the developing fetus in her uterus. Although the risk to the fetus was diminishingly low, I would still talk with her OB-GYN about your concerns.
What is the chance of survival in stage 4 lung cancer?
Short answer: Chemotherapy may help depending on his goals, but there is nearly zero chance of long term survival. Long answer: The median survival of someone over 70 with Stage READ MORE
Short answer: Chemotherapy may help depending on his goals, but there is nearly zero chance of long term survival.
Long answer: The median survival of someone over 70 with Stage 4 lung cancer is about 2-4 months. The fact that you say it is making him weak is a bad sign and likely puts him on the lower end of that spectrum. Chemotherapy comes in many flavors, some more toxic than others and some more effective than others. I would discuss your father’s goals of his care to get a clearer understanding of he wants “everything done that can be done” or would rather just focus on being comfortable.
Long answer: The median survival of someone over 70 with Stage 4 lung cancer is about 2-4 months. The fact that you say it is making him weak is a bad sign and likely puts him on the lower end of that spectrum. Chemotherapy comes in many flavors, some more toxic than others and some more effective than others. I would discuss your father’s goals of his care to get a clearer understanding of he wants “everything done that can be done” or would rather just focus on being comfortable.
Is it safe for a woman with cancer to take an emergency contraceptive pill?
From a radiation standpoint, yes. I don't think the contraceptive would interfere with chemotherapy, but I would ask her medical oncologist to be sure.
