radiation and breast shrinkage

newmex1598

hi all, i was reading on the reconstruction board about some women who had shrinkage of the breast that was radiated. how common is this???? and how much shrinkage??? my girlfriend is going to freak if this happens - she's currently undergoing the chemo after lumpectomy - i'd wait to tell her but this seems to be YET another piece of bad news - on top of bad new, on top of bad news!!

thanks for any help,

josé

cp418

Well I am slightly smaller on my left but I did have 2 lumpectomies.  First for a fibroadenoma at age 19 and later for my bc.  IMO I think my size is more from my surgeries and not the radiation treatments.  Size A+ on the left and B on the right - - basically fuller on the right but not extreme.

revkat

Some people do get shrinkage, on the other hand some people get breast lyphedema and so they get swelling. I wouldn't worry your girlfriend about it. If she had a lumpectomy she needs the radiation. period. and the final size of the treated breast won't be known until everything settles down many months from now. 

Jo_Ann_K

I'm currently having radiation. After the 7th treatment, I noticed that my affected breast was smaller and more pert than it had been.  It's not very obvious with clothes, but it's obvious to me when I'm not. It's the price of the gift of life!

gsg

I agree...don't worry your girlfriend with thoughts of shrinkage.  Between the lumpectomy and the rads I do have some, but it isn't that bad.  My breast surgeon offered to reduce my healthy breast so they'd match...she said insurance would pay.  But it doesn't seem like that big of a deal.  Breasts are never symmetrical anyway.  I bet your girlfriend isn't going to be concerned about it when she's all through with everything.

tweetybird

I was lucky that the size of my right breast stayed the same, but I'm also a bit on the "large" size. I'm a D. The only difference that I noticed is the right side is "rounder" then the left side (which is the good boob)! Both my surgeon, and rad oncologist said that this is due to the lumectomy, not from rads. I have to agree with what revkat said, that it takes months for everything to heal. I just saw my surgeon last month for my usual 6 month follow up, and he noticed a difference with the healing part of my breast from the last time that I was in. I had my lumectomy in August of 2006, and finished up with rads, 2 years ago today. I also notice the difference with my clothes off, but with them on, you really can't notice the difference. I also wouldn't worry your friend. My sister in law is starting rads tomorrow, and when I was talking to her the begining of the week, and didn't tell her about the problems that I had, since each person is different. I was just telling her in general of what to expect, and she said that the doctor said the same thing to her. You're best bet is to just give your friend words of encoragement at this time.

Karen56

I seem to have some swelling from time to time, but now notice that the breast is a bit more swollen and the aerola seems "bleached out".  Has anyone had this experience? 

Jo_Ann_K

I've finished treatment 17 and notice that my areola is also looking "bleached out". 

Shirlann

No, my aerola was dark, now both are kinda, pink, like before babies.  Who knows?

I had a very funny thing happen.  I had my surgery and treatment 10 years ago and I hardly noticed any difference in my boobs.  Then, in a fit of something, I lost 50 pounds with Weightwatchers.  Of course, as always, I gained it back and then some.  Now, 4 years after the epic loss, stupid is trying again. (I guess I will never learn, it isn't the losing, it is keeping it off)  Only the BC breast is shrinking twice as fast as the other one!  I really look funny.  This is such an odd thing, I don't think anyone else needs to worry or anything, but I think the lumpectomy must have taken the fat cells out to the point when I dieted again, the "little" breast really shrunk.

Oh well, now that I am on my way to 25 pounds, it seems the "other" breast is shrinking to fit the little one.  HUH?  Sounds like a nutty story, but it is true.

Gentle hugs, Shirlann

mzmiller99

Shirlann - 25 lbs.?  Grrrrreat!! 

My little boobettes are shrinking, but I think it is being off the hormones for so long!  If I found a lump now, I'd assume it was a third boobette growing! 

Keep up the good work!

Krissy37

Hi

I had no shrinkage from radiation either.  My radiated side is a little firmer, and my aerola does look bleached out too.

Krissy

easyquilts

I did experience shrinkage with my lumpectomy and radiation....My right breast is definitely smaller than my left one.....I wouuld guess about a half cup size or more.....I'm getting used to it, but I still don't like it one bit.....Even though I AM sixty-five!

Sandy

Karen56

Thanks JoAnn and Krissy for your comments.  It's so easy to think something is wrong once you've had breast cancer, and I'm trying not to run to my doctor for every little thing.  This fading of the aerola is really weird, but I did just have my first follow-up MRI and Mammo in Aug & Oct, which both came back good, so I'm trying to be level headed about this.

Shirlann, good going on the WW.  I need to get back there myself.  It's gotten so difficult to lose weight with age and since the hysterectomy.  It's good to hear that your non bc breast is catching up to the bc one.  I can't believe we have to deal with these things!  My bc breast was always a little larger than the other, and then after the lumpectomy about even, but now I'm slightly larger again because of swelling I'm guessing.  Can the lumpectomy give you breast lymphodema?

Sandy, was your size change strictly from treatment?  I'm 52 and need to lose 40 lbs, but still want to think of myself as having that 19 year old body.  LOL!

rlwh

This whole BC things just bites. I went yesterday to see the Medical oncologist. She was so negative and started spouting all of these negative prognosis statistics, if you did not have treatment, and or treatments. I fired her. I am seeing another M oncologist in about ten or twelve days. I have already decided that if my breast shrinks, the insurance can pay for fixxing them so they will match. I know this sounds vain, but my breasts looking alike is part of my healing process. Men don't understand flip about that. How would they like it if they had no testicles, or if one was noticably smaller than the other one. I don't think so. 

I had my lumpectomy on Nov. 30. It is not perfect: the nipple points a little to the left (left breast is lumpectomy one), but I can live with that because, other than that, my breast looks practically the same. My surgeon is a plastic surgeon also, and he did a beautiful job. There isn't even going to be a scar.

Maybe I am too vain, but how my breasts look is as important to me as how my face looks. Prior to surgery, my surgeon said that I would not be able to tell with my clothes on, and I said but my husband will see.  I will see also, and I don't want any reminders of this nightmare.

I can't believe how much my mother understands all of this. She has never had BC, but my sister did die from Ovarian C a little over two years ago.

Being 1 in 8, like all of us are is really hard and makes me so sad.

Raebrewster1971

I had radiation 24 years ago..and my breast shrink where its almost gone! Also I was diagnosed wrong after I went threw getting the lump removed and some lymphoid s and 34 radiation treatments the they told me they made a mistake I didn't have cancer after all..the pathologist made the mistake.. so I went threw the radiation treatments for nothing and having problems now with ribs also..any women who are diagnosed should get a second opioion since what happened to me

Emmiejohns

Congratulations on losing weight. I am also trying to do that (while on RADS). I am so frustrated. I am curious what "method" you are using. Are you doing WeightWatchers again or just counting calories?

I can't worry about the disparity in my breasts. I'm just starting this process, and so far I do seem to be shrinking a bit, but need to wait and see. Nobody needs to worry about the size of their breast, when they have a disease that wants to destroy their life. Just saying.

Emmiejohns

Sandy, Yeah, I agree. I am 64 and I don't like it either - and then, when I started Radiation Therapy they said "don't wear a bra". I had planned on shopping to see if I could find one that would minimize the lopsidedness. It's not my biggest problem or anything, but it is annoying.