Three years ago Lynne suffered from severe back pain which was diagnosed as breast cancer that had spread to her bones.  She was treated and doing well until early 2008.  Lynne began experiencing severe pain in her left leg.  It was so painful that she was taking prescription pain killers many times throughout the day and limping when she walked.

Lynne’s primary care physician ordered a MRI scan to aid in diagnosing her leg pain.  The MRI revealed that Lynne’s cancer had spread again, this time to the tibia bone in her left leg.  Lynne sought care from Bharati Bhate, MD, an oncologist at the Illinois Regional Cancer Center.  Dr. Bhate developed a treatment plan for Lynne that included three weeks of targeted radiation treatment to the cancerous spot on her tibia.  Half way through the treatment, Lynne was feeling a tremendous improvement in her pain and was able to cut down on her pain medications.  By the completion of her treatment, Lynne discontinued all of her pain medications.  According to Dr. Bhate, radiation treatments are very effective in controlling pain associated with cancer, helping to relieve pain in 80% of patients.

Lynne was able to resume a normal life, free of pain. She continued with other therapies to fight her cancer. Click here to learn more about Dr. Bhate and the other caring Oncologists on staff at Kishwaukee Community Hospital.

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