Clinical trial: Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation?

indahood

Ok so just got back from my first consult with the oncologists. The Rads oncologist is keen to get me in on a trial of APBI accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation. It's a clinical trial of using higher dosage but to smaller area. Only 5 treatments and overall, less radiation. The trial will be testing whether I have more cosmetic issues. It's a small trial being done in Alberta, Canada. Anyone else out there done anything similar? Kinda scared about being a guinea pig but at the same time 5 treatments, apparently less side effects. Feedback?

love and laughter

laurie

DanceSmartly

Hi Indahood,

Very interesting! Do u mind sharing where this trial is being done? I was wondering if it is possible to get partial breast radiation in Alberta; as best I could tell from the Alberta Health protocols online, whole breast radiation is still the provincial standard.

I am worried about rads as I have sensitive skin that burns, scars, discolours very easily. The closest rads centre to me is also 5 hours drive one way, so 5 sessions would be a dream come true for me!

Dance

chronicpain

The ROC I saw offered me, as one option, twice a day radiation for five days, vs. once a day for 3 months, vs. no radiation given my low grade tumor type, age 63 at diagnosis, and multiple other problems that might increase risk. I considered the five day partial radiation but she was not clear that there was less risk of long term side effects

indahood

Hello Dance Smartly. I would be doing this at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. My oncologist is Dr. Craighead. I too have to travel for Rads but not even close to how far you have to drive. Poor you. 175 people are taking part at Tom Baker and 100 more elsewhere (although I don't know where) so maybe check it out with your ROC. It's called the ACCEL trial. Looks like you'd be a good candidate. It's for early stage breast cancer who have undergone breast conservation surgery (lumpectomy). I think they want good margins though, which I have. Hope that helps. Also I know that you can stay at the Tom Baker free of charge.

Here's wishing you lots of good outcomes this 2018,

Laurie

indahood

Hi CP, Sorry you have chronic stuff going on. Got a taste of that a few months back with sciatica, thankfully my body has healed it's self as it's so frustrating when nothing but painkillers works to improve a painful situation. I get it.

I think the trail I'm going to take is to see if they can improve the cosmetic outcome despite giving higher single doses of radiation. Overall, I will have less radiation, than the standard treatment and they will be able to stay away from lungs and heart. They anticipate that long term side effects will be mitigated but the short term might be more difficult.

Since it's the long term ones that scare me, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go ahead and be apart of the trial. Wish they didn't want to use radiation on me. Darn.

good luck with your treatment,

Laurie

indahood

Dance Smartly, I found out the other two cities for this trial are Lethbridge and Red Deer. Good luck. I'm in but just found out I'll need Chemo first so wont be posting about the rads for quite a while.

Laurie

DanceSmartly

Hi indahood,

Thanks for the update! I asked about partial breast and other clinicial radiation trials and was told that although my clinical tumour characteristics qualified me for these trials, my age did not. So, looks like the normal whole breast radiation route for me. Had my CT scan / simulation yesterday.

Hope chemo goes well for u! Will be interested to hear how the radiation trial goes when u get to that point.

Dance

indahood

Ohh too bad. Good luck with your radiation. I'll let you know how it goes when the time comes, probably August ish. Take care,

Laurie