Chemo an bones....

[boofette]

2 years ago I underwent a lumpectomy and had 8 treatments of chemotherapy and 6 1/2 weeks of daily radiation. I have been told I may have "degenerative disc disease."  Is it possible that the treatments have ANYTING to do with this problem I now have to face?

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear boofette:  Degenerative disc disease is essentially arthritis.  It is very common as we age to develop this to varying degrees.  Osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, is also more common as we age.  Use of steroids contributes to the development of osteoporosis.   Osteoporosis may also be accelerated in the absence of estrogen in post-menopausal women.  If you are post-menopausal, it is unlikely that you will be placed on hormone replacement therapy because it may increase the risk of recurrence.  Therefore, your bone density should be monitored.  There are medications that can help with this that you can discuss with your physician if osteoporosis is a problem.  It is unlikely that your chemotherapy has caused your degenerative disc disease.  Also, unless your spine was included in the radiation field, which I doubt, it is unlikely that the radiation contributed to this problem either.  If your spine was radiated, then there is a possibility that this contributed to the problem.  You should discuss this with your physician.

[reyado]

A related discussion, degenerative bones was started.