Trying to make a decision about radiation

kim0712

Hello everyone I am 42 and was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer on April of this year. I had a lumpectomy in May and also a reexcison a few weeks later. I had lymph nodes removed and SNB and 3 were positive. I am doing chemotherapy and had 4 doses of cytoxan and adriamyicin. I am now doing the taxol once a week for 12 weeks and I am on number 5. I go to talk to the radiation Dr on November 2 so I wanted to get some feedback from you ladies on whether or not to have the radiation therapy. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated

mamaof3bugs

With TN being such an aggressive form of BC I would highly suggest doing everything offered to you.  I did 4 DD AC and 12 taxol followed by 36 rounds of rads...I now have the piece of mind that I did everything I could to prevent recurrence, medically speaking.  I would not hesitate doing the rads again, they were a piece of cake!  Good luck, Angi

KSteve

I did AC and then Taxol followed by BMX and then radiation.  I felt like I needed to do everything possible to get any cells that might me hiding out after chemo and surgery.  The radiation treatments went by fast and I have no regrets.  Just needed to know that I was doing everything possible to prevent a reoccurence.  If it happens in my future, I won't be saying "what if?".

Luah

Triple negative or not, my understanding is that radiation is ALWAYS indicated after a lumpectomy - unless there is some serious underlying medical issue that contra-indicates it. Radiation following lumpectomy has been shown to greatly reduce the risk of recurrence which is why it has been standard of care for many years now. 

elimar86861

Even if you just had a biopsy and lumpectomy, but even more so with the re-excision, you have had procedures that could dislodge a few tiny tumor cells and they could be in the scar tissue area of your breast.  Sometimes, because blood vessels are severed in that area and it does not get the same blood circulation, the chemo may not be able to act on those stray cells.  This is what radiation targets.  Think of it as a "clean up" operation. 

Unless you have other circumstances which would make radiation a risky procedure for you, I think rads would have a benefit for you.  The RO will likely be in favor of rads.  (Duh!)  What does your surgeon think in your case?

Suze35

I agree with Luah, I thought a lumpectomy always meant radiation.  But you may have some options as to how much radiation to do - for example, just the breast, or also the axilla, supraclavicular area, and internal mammary area.  Being TN, I would personally be more aggressive with the radiation given the positive nodes.  Even though I do have mets in other places, the areas where I received radiation are completely clear.

Talk with both your RO and MO, and maybe even have them discuss it between themselves. 

mccrimmon324

I was under the impression that you always got radiation with a lumpectomy too.  I was told that a lumpectomy + radiation = BMX

ma111

Because you are young radiation would be a good idea. It was the easiest of the 4 to go through for me. With having a lumpectomy, not a masectomy, it is more important long term to do rads.

luvmy2kids

Kim0712-- I was diagnosed around the same time as you. I also have TNBC I have 5 Taxols left. I had a lumpectomy but with clean margins and no lymph node involvement.... I was told I would have to have radiation. To be honest I am even considering a BMX/--- but oncologist said that lumpectomy plus radiation would be same for survival and only yield maybe 2% difference with reoccurrence... I hear radiation is easier than chemo??????? Not sure as I have been through DD AC and several Taxols..... Good luck:-)

missrachel1

Radiation was a breeze for me. I continued to work full time, take care of my three year old, had an active social life. An excellent diet and exercise I feel made a big difference. My boob is red and a little itchy. Like a sunburn. I finish tomorrow, but will definitely miss all the techs and nurses. I was in and out everyday within 15 minutes.

Best of luck.

bbbooots

Hello.  Diagnosis multifocal, stage 2, TNBC.  Just had mastectomy, to start chemo soon.  One node postive with a micromet.  Want to kill this stuff and get on with life.  Not being offered radiation, and think I want it.  Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

HollyHopes

i had lumpectomy, dose dense (AC/T) followed by 35 radiation treatments.  i, like 'missrachel1', worked every day of rad tx.  i experienced severe burns to my breast and intramammary fold.  developed multiple fat necroses and calcifications.  i have pain in that breast every day.  in February it will be five years for me.  i wish i had elected bilateral mx.  hindsight is 20/20.  we make the best decisions we can at the time with the information that is available.  i try not to dwell on my regrets.  i am happy to be healthy and alive!

sending warm thoughts and prayers your way....

yellowdoglady

I had a lumpectomy, then chemotherapy and 35 rounds of radiation.  Like most, I worked through it all.  At one point in the radiation, the doc switched me for a couple of days from proton to electron beams (that should have been at the end) because I was showing a burn coming on.  I was worried to vary my schedule at all.  At that time, I thought that staying on schedule was the only control I had over that beast.

The doc was very clear about why.  If you get a burn, you may be unable to continue, and you may well need surgury to repair that if you do.  This way, you don't have to stop and it won't make a bit of difference if you don't develop a burn.

bbboots, if you feel that you should have radiation, ask for it!  Have that conversation with your oncologist and if he or she doesn't feel you need it, get a second opinion.  Be satisfied with your choice.  This is your life.