I believe this is standard protocol for cases like mine. After more treatments to the second defined area and near the end of my treatment, the treatment field was reduced again to include only the tumor area. After a certain number of treatments, they did a "coning down," which means reduction of the treatment field. My radiation treatment began with radiation to the entire pelvic region. However, standard treatment even in cases of localized tumors includes radiating the pelvic/groin lymph nodes. I was on the fence between a stage 1 and 2 (2cm localized tumor) and had no lymph node involvement. I too hope they find a less barbaric cure in the future, but at least this cancer does respond to the chemo and radiation and we have to be thankful for that. I had many lymph nodes that lit up, one in left side of my groin and also the abdominal area.They did not remove or biopsy any of them they said standard treatment is to treat them as if they are cancerous.I'm finding as time goes on that moderation is the key on the fiber issue. I hope you continue well with your recovery. So much support and information here & all much appreciated. Hope they find a less barbaric cure in the future, especially as anal cancer is said to be on the increases. That is life changing on it's own without all the other complications this 'cure' brings. Good to know your scan was clear in July! Where were lit up lymph nodes with you? I've heard low fibre is the way to go.
This site is wonderful and I wish I had known about it during my treatments and the months following. I've found that it's tolerable though, and improving as time goes by. This seems to be a common post-treatment result Doctors don't talk about.
I also have muscle pain and stiffness in the thigh and groin area. I find that limiting the amount of fiber in my diet helps greatly. I've had some effects from the radiation on bowel habits, which were very distressing to me at first, but as time goes by, that is getting better. I had Stage III with lymph nodes that "lit up" during a PET scan.