Radiation for Breast Cancer & Effects on Emphysema/Lungs

MoJim

Hi All! I have DCIS & 33 treatments of Radiation are to start in a couple of weeks. I have many other complex medical conditions in addition to the BC.  One of them is Emphysema & I'm wondering if the Radiation to the breast will have even more damaging effects on my lung & Emphysema which I struggle with.  I've "googled" until I'm blue in the face & can't seem to get any answers from websites. I'm sure there has to be someone out there w/ Emphysema who's had to undergo Radiation.  If so, can you share any struggles you had due to the radio-therapy?  I was really thinking of opting out of the RAD's, but my husband is pushing me to go thru w/ them & the Dr.'s are adamant about it also.  I suffer from chronic depression & am just ready to die of natural causes rather than to prolong my life.  Any answers/comments would be greatly appreciate.  Thanks in advance for your input!

Ariom

Hello MoJim,there is information on the front page of BCO under Radio Therapy. You may find the information you want in that area. Please stay of Dr Google, there is a lot of unreliable information there. It is quiet here at the moment, and there aren't a lot of members posting right now. I am sure you'll find you will get more answers as people arrive back here after the Holidays. There will be others who will come and share their experiences.

I would also urge you to read up on the information on DCIS which is available on this site, which one of our members Beesie has researched and posted. I actually printed ut this information for my friends and family so they understood what was going on with me and so they understood what DCIS actually is.

I assume you have something other, than a small amount of low grade DCIS, which would likely be why the Doctors are urging you to do the radiation. The direction of radiation, is far better these days than it was in the past and there are many women here who will tell you it was very doable and there were minimal, or no side effects at all. It is also dependent on where your DCIS is, in the breast as to where the beam is targeted.

I too was Dx with DCIS, over a centimeter, not very large, but grade 3. I have rheumatoid arthritis and Asthma and my Husband is a quadriplegic, with me as the primary carer, We live in a small coastal town, hours away from the nearest Radiotherapy facility, where I would have had to stay 5 days a week, till the treatment was over, so I had a number of reasons, why I wanted to avoid having rads. I didn't underestimate the DCIS and knew I had to make a big decision, either way.

I was given the option of a lumpectomy with 6 weeks of Radiation, or a Mastectomy with a SNB, but still with the possibility of Radiation, depending on the findings of the final pathology. There can be no promises, that rads will be avoided, by taking this Umx route. I took a gamble and opted for the UMx and SNB, but it was a big decision and it certainly isn't for everyone. I was very fortunate, I had no surprises in the final pathology.

DCIS has a very favorable prognosis, but it does need to be treated.

I wish you all the best and hope you gt the information that makes the decision easier for you. Let us know how you get on.