Myasthenia Gravis Support Group
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability. The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Although myasthenia gravis may affect any voluntary muscle, muscles that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, and...
Has anyone had pinpoint radiation after a thymectomy with thymoma? Trying to decide if the side effects are worth it.
A few things may point to this
The robotic surgery sometimes is thought to not quite get as much tissue removed as the full older opening the chest route. Did you have the minimally invasive surgery?
Were you at stage I (not spread) or a higher stage?
Do you have a history of other cancers?
Ask the doctors both surgeon and non-surgeons to understand more. A second opinion is a reasonable route here.
When my wife had mastectomy, for stage 4 cancer,, the treatment was chemo, surgery and radiation. That was because it had spread. Had it been stage 1, and the surgeon sure of complete removal, only surgery would have been needed. Her decision to have radiation too was based on 4 doctors with different specialties (surgeon, family, radiation, and oncologist) all sitting down with us in a room at the same time discussing it (the Mayo Clinic way of doing things). At the end of it, although the radiation was not required, we all agreed that it would do more good than harm, and the side effects were minor, the inconvenience not outrageous (5 visits a week for an hour) and we thought better to be over cautions. That was 2013 and no problems since.
Good Luck
Russ