Tuberculosis treatment in the 40's?

rcastiglione

Hello Everyone,

I am a primary support giver for my darling aunt who has just come through chemo and surgery for triple negative breast cancer. She has done exceedingly well, but when during the post-op consult with her oncologist he told her it was time to move on to radiation, she about had a stroke.

It seems that she is extremely concerned that because she underwent extended radiation therapy for TB when she was a child in the 1940's, that ANY radiation treatment now puts her at grave risk for developing "incurable sarcoma".

While I am on the sidelines with my heart screaming 'Are you nuts?!?! We have to throw everything we've got at this!!' I understand and respect that it is her choice in the end, but it's a choice I want her to make based on fact and reason, not speculations which are colored by the traumatic memories of a mid-century TB ward. Which I completely grant had to be utterly terrifying for a four year old girl.

So I thought to myself, this is a perfect question for these boards: she cannot be the only woman in her late sixties with breast cancer who survived the brutish, pre-antibiotic protocol for TB. Have any of you addressed this concern with your radiologists? What has the feedback been? Has anyone opted out for this reason? Has anyone been reliably informed that this kind of juvenile exposure to radiation does indeed increase mortality risk in any substantial way?

All I can hear is the oncologist saying that without radiation, her chance of recurrence goes from 40% to 90%. And those numbers frighten me as much as the radiation frightens her.

My thanks in advance for your time, my admiration above all for your strength.

JanetinVirginia

Only thing I can suggest is to get a 2nd opinion at a NCI cancer center to go over her history.  Radiation has changed dramatically since that time, but it does increase risk for cancer - thyroid, breast, leukemia, etc.  But the benefit may outweigh any risk.  If she had an expert review her case, she may be more comfortable.  (If she has any records from the treatment, that would be helpful to them.)