Anyone NOT do Rads?

Estepp

Hi all, I am looking for a head count here

I had 1 node poss. before chemo. I had chemo... then surgery. After surgery I had a 100% response. They could not even find dead cancer cells in the breast tissue or all the nodes.

I had Mast/TE/full auxiliary dissection

My breast surgeon said today, that since I had mast... no poss. nodes after chemo and my original tumor was under 4cm , I did not need rads. She is part of my BC Team. I asked her if my rads MD would say I needed rads and she said no.

So... how many of you had 1 node positive and a mast. with node dissection and did NOT do rads... just checkin'

TY!

Laura

Robyn66

I had one node positive had a mastectomy and am going through chemo now.  They said I wouldn't need rads.

Good luck sweetie!!

Robyn

Estepp

TY Robyn... good luck to you too! I hope Chemo is going ok for you!

Laura

fightinhrd123

Well you know what i did.  I had one pos, but three next to it were suspicious, my breast surgeon didnt think they were anything.  Anyway, i also had a complete response to chemo, nothing left at all, but i decided to do rads. I dont want to second guess myself down the road, and honestly Laura, it has not been bad.  Ive got 13 to do, and its gone by really quickly, just a little redness as a side effect.  I would definitly go see a rad onc.

Hope your doing well!!
|Laura

slepeint

 I am in the process of making this decision right now.

 Here's a link to an article (you'll have to order it online, but it's only $5 for handling for BC patients):  http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0360301607046020 

 I was getting mixed responses from radiologists, breast surgeons and my oncologist on whether to do rads or not.  This article helped me ask very precise questions about my particular cancer.  I was able to question much more precisely than I would have been able to without it.

That said, because I'm ER+/PR+ and the drugs I'll be on have been shown to work so well, I'm confident that rads won't add that much to my survival.  And, I already have problems with lymphedema.  My oncologist told me before I developed lymphedema that doing rads after a full axillary dissection would raise my risk of developing it to 50%.

 I read the posts here from women with lymphedema and that, combined with the conversation with my oncologist, the analysis of the study and it's applicability to my cancer, and an understanding of how I would be treated after chemo (bring on the tamoxifen!), encouraged me to say no to radiation.

 50%.

 But you're ER-/PR- and HER2+     You'll need to find out all the what-ifs for your cancer, should it recur.

Good luck with your decision!

 Suzy

p.s.  I had a mx with ax dissection and a prophylactic mx on the other side

Estepp

Thanks everyone. If I had had a lumpectomy, my BS would have said yes to rads 100%. My rads doctor is going to call me back today and let me know his final desision.

My my BS said that rads will only improve my situation for NOT getting a recurrence by 2-3% . They unusually recommend rads if that is 10% or higher.

I will let you know what my radiation doctor says. I will get a second opinion even though my BS does not think I need to get one being in the low group. ( 2-3%)..

Thank you all who responded and I will let you know.

Laura

cdccpa

I had chemo first and just had lumpectomy w/ SNB last Friday.  No nodes involved based on SNB (two were removed) but waiting for final path report this Friday.  I had possibly 3 nodes involved based on PET scan prior to chemo.  I know I am guaranteed for rads because I went with lumpectomy but wanted to mention that I had my consult with the rad oncologist before my surgery and she said even if I had a mastectomy she would want to do rads regardless of the pathology on the nodes at surgery.  She said it was because of my age (37) and the three nodes possibly involved at the beginning.  Just thought I'd share my experience. 

Carolyn  

Estepp

Thank you. This was what they told me too if I had had 2 or more nodes, they would have suggested it due to age. So many choices... we'll see. Thank you for your information!

Laura

fightinhrd123

Laura how do they know for  sure you only had one?  its my understanding they cant really tell from PET or MRI?

Estepp

Oh, back in June I had 4 biopsy's and after that MrI. Then chemo, then Surgery with TE and all nodes removed.

Why?

fightinhrd123

Because that was my oncs big reasoning for rads.  He said yes i only had one positive nodes at diganosis, but because i had chemo first, no-one can really say if i had more than one.  That there like a chain, and you cant see them all til surgery, you may have one positive, and the one above it may be positive, but they cant tell on scans and since mine were all negative at surgery, not one cancer cell left, we will never really know if there were more.  Just wondering if they gave you that same advice? 

econmom

Fightinhrd123,

I got similar advice to yours from my radiologist.  After chemo, then surgery, the IDC was gone, and one sentinel and 1/7 nodes positive.  But how many nodes before surgery?  Very likely 4 or more, the guideline for rads.  Also, the original biopsy of IDC showed lymphovascular invasion.  So I am going ahead with rads, but did get a sleeve and glove to help prevent/control LE. 

The guidelines for rads are based on adjuvant chemo, so with neoadj. treatment, there is more uncertainty, I think.

I am getting simulation tomorrow and starting 1/21 with 28 treatments.  I hope it is the right decision.

Liiz

Estepp

I wish it was not our decision to make. I wish there was a guideline for us neo-adj. ladies. I did not have lymphovascular invasion. This is another thing, if I had had that, I would be told to do rads. My cancer was on the left side, (heart).. and with doing Adriamycin AND Herceptin for a yr and then add rads over the heart ... they just don't know the risk to the heart long term.. say.. 20 yrs from now. OH.. this is soooooooooo hard. I am still waiting for my final call from the Rads doctor, after the team meeting about me. I hope it comes today... I will let you know. He may recommend rads.. then I will be out looking for more opinions.. 1 says no..1 says.. yes....ridiculous.

fightinhrd123

Yep it sucks!!! I had to kinda decide by myself too.  Mine was on the right so no heart issues.  As long as you feel comfortable with your decision, thats important!!

Laura

Estepp

You are right Laura. This is what I pray for. That I will make the RIGHT decision. I just hope that when I hear from my team today or tomorrow, that THEY will tell me what I need to do..lol... I know what  my BS says... but I need to hear it 100% from the radiation doctor at the cancer center. He is the one who really knows... I hope he does not tell me...it is my choice...:(... I will continue to pray about it. I did ask the Lord to either have my path come back with some cancer cells ( dead or not) in the nodes.. or completely clear so that I knew HE was making the choice for me. I feel like my worrying about it is second guessing the all mighty Doctor. ....