Dear Dr. In Feb,03 you answered a question about cd4 decline and radiation for the prostate.I recently had my parotids radiated.My cd4 was about 650 a week before treatment and 459 ten days post radiation. Viral load was 23,000 just before the treatment. My treating radiation omcologist assures me that my radiation dose was so low 2400 (over 16 treatments) that the radiation could not cause the decline. After reading your response from February, I think differently, but cannot find any place to read up on low dose radiation and CD4 decline. Please tell me what you think about my circumstances and what I should expect?.Thank you,Luke

Both my post in February and your treating oncologist are correct. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can indeed cause declines in CD4 cells. Typically as you are out further and further from these therapies, the CD4 count will rise, but often will not rise as high as the pre-treatment value. The amount of radiation you are receiving is indeed low. I can't say for sure that it would affect your CD4 count, but I also can't say for sure that it would not affect your count. If the fall in your CD4 count were to be due to the radiation, then your CD4 count should rise up again after you have completed treatments. Soooooo, see what happens in time. It sounds like the radiation was given for a good reason. Typically the benefit of radiation or chemotherapy outways the risks.