finished chemo, need to decide radiation or not

angla2908

finished chemo, need to decide radiation or not

angla2908

I had a double mastectomy because my cancer was multi-focal and had right axillary lymph node dissection because I had 1 positive node. My doctors recommended I do the radiation, but It very much felt like a borderline decision.

My main concern with radiation is long-term side effects, such as second cancer occur and increase the risk in lymphedema with my right arm. So I want to know exactly how radiation would benefit me. Presumably the chemo and surgery should remove any current traces of cancer. Would radiating my incision sites prevent recurrence in the future? I definitely want more information before committing to anything!

Moderators

Angla2908-

We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO. We're sorry for the circumstances that bring you here, but we're glad you've found us, and hope you find the support and advice you need.

It's always good to want to know as much as you can about your treatments. Have you discussed any of your concerns with your doctors? When they recommended radiation, did you ask why and how it would benefit you? It might be a good idea to start by writing down all the questions you have, as well as the concerns you have about side-effects and risks, and sit down with your medical team. They will want you to be as comfortable as possible going into treatment as well, so getting answers to your questions shouldn't be an issue.

In the meantime, we have some information on our main site about radiation that you might find informative: http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/radiation.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via the private message function.

The Mods