breast cancer and a pacemaker?

Carol_L

breast cancer and a pacemaker?

Carol_L

Hi all,

Is anyone in this situation?  I have a pacemaker on my left side, and have stage 2 breast cancer in the left breast.   I'm getting ready to start chemo soon, and after that will undergo radiation.  The pacer is too much in the field of radiation so they will have to move it to the right side. 

Also, if they move it, then there's the issue of possibly having a port still there, if needed, on the same side as the pacer.  Among other things.

Sooo...just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and can get together for a chat about how you are coping with the 2 combined.

Thanks in advance~~

Carol_L

canewbie

Hi, Carol_L.

I am totally new to all this, having received the diagnosis only a few days ago. I have DCIS in my left breast and a pacemaker on my left side. I won't need chemo but should have radiation and am in the same dilemma as you-- the surgeon is saying that I probably will have to have the pacemaker moved to the other side. I'm wondering tho, if I could have the internal radiation instead of external and if that could be done without moving the pacemaker. Did you look into that?  

Anonymous

HI both of you I also have a pacemaker and have been in the same place as you two. I had a bilateral Mast/reconst and pacemaker moved (left to right) in Sept. I was told, following my excisional biopsy (Lymdectomy). by my BS that the cancer had spread to my lymphnodes and I needed a mast, bilateral (He said the chances of it showing up in the right breast was 40%)

However, now heres's the bad part, after having both of my breasts removed, the PM relocated to the right side of my chest, and the expanders inserted, My GP and NEW Onc told me there was NO SIGN of cancer anywhere. I now have 4 wires, (and had to go thru the recall scare) criss-crossing my chest. A lump on the left side where the old wires are connected to the new ones (they cannot remoevd the old ones after 2 weeks), and a lump on the right side where the PM now rests. ANd as my pathologist report stated no sign of cancer, I do not need the rads that was the reason behind the relocation.

If either of you are planning on reconstruction...good luck. I have 260 cc in each side at the present and will be having my second fill Thursday. My PM Dr is very concerned about the expanders pushing against the PM and the muscles around it...it could cause a PM malfuction, pull a wire lose, or (worse can senario), pull the wire in my heart. Needless to say that will kill me. PLEASE have a long long talk with you PM Dr and explain, IN DETAIL, what goes on with the reconstruction process. My PS wanted to have the PM Dr move the PM to my stomach and not until a few days later did anyone know where the darn thing had been put.

Another bit a bad luck. I never needed the PM to start with as I did not have any heart problems, only a bad reaction to RXs, so my Cartiologist, felt it would protect me, down the line, from my heart stopping (again) from an alergic reaction to some medication. NOW I do have a heart issue becasue of the PM.

Feel free to PM me and I can go in to more detail. 

StarWish624

   I want to thank you all for posting about this subject. I have a PM on the left side, my breast taken and port on the right - BUT - I had 5/13 nodes +, so I MAY have a recurrance some day in the left. I had never looked forward to such problems, before. Now, I have a "heads up". Thanks.

   From one "Pacer" to another.

kknott4957

I am new to all this having been diagnosed a few days ago.  I also have to have a pacemaker moved to the right side before I can have my masectomy.  Waiting for the doctor who did the pacemaker to call me and discuss arrangements.  Thanks for making me not feel alone. 

msphil

hello honey, I had a pacer/defib implanted after chemo and rads my mast is on the Lfet side and they had to put my pacer/defib on the right but I was told most of the time it,s implanted on the left side. msphil

fishergirl

I was told I have breast cancer in January. I did have a lumpectomy then and I have been waiting for radiation since then. My pacemaker specialist sent me to a surgeon a few weeks ago and he said the PM needed to be moved. I saw my radioligist last week and he thinks he could do the radiation with the pacemaker in its place. Really? The radioligist knows nothing about pacemakers as I was educating him on mine. I just want this started so I can go on with my life.

Can anyone give me some advice or let me know if they had radiation on the same side as the PM?

All answers would be greatly appreciated!

Brenda