If you are in my place..what to choose?!!

Danaqtr

Im really concerned. I want to make decision tonight regarding the surgery.

I met the surgeon who will perform the surgery for my mom. He advised lumpectomy. The tumor is 1.4 cm luminal A. ER 95% positive. No obvious nodes affected through the ultrasound check.

My mom is 68 years old. Good health but before 3 years she hospitalized for a week due to unknown irregular heartbeat. No medicine prescribed.

Now I want really help about the decision. I read alot of scaring side effects about radiation on heart and lung that it might cause damage.

Lumpectomy means she will get radiation then hormonal therapy which also has side effects on heart.

Mastectomy will skip radiation which will save the risk of heart damage of any percentage.

When I asked the surgeon about side affects of radiation he just mentioned sunburn and the period 5 weeks which many women don’t like. He never mentioned any heart or lung damage which I just discovered yesterday here from the this website.

The admission is tomorrow for the surgery I have no much time to decide. If you were in my place what you going to advice? For my mom she is ok with both

gb2115

I don't know which decision your mom should make, but I have to mention that mastectomy doesn't necessarily mean radiation won't be recommended later. Lots of women on these boards have been sent to radiation oncology after their mastectomies.

Ingerp

I also believe the probability of heart impacts from radiation is *very* low. When my left side was treated two years ago, I did the breath hold thing. My heart is in great shape. It really is mostly the skin effects and some fatigue (although 19 treatments in I haven’t experienced any fatigue).

Lula73

is your mom a young 68 or an old 68? It’s something to consider. There are many women who have just done lumpectomy (clean margins) with no rads and take the antihormonals for at least a period of time. It’s a quality of life decision considering the average life expectancy timeline. It’s something I would consider at age 68. Something to remember is that your mom is in control of her treatment path, not the drs. They make recommendations on treatment path but it’s ultimately up to your mom what she decides to do or not do and she can pick and choose like in the example above. They can’t force her just like you can’t force her to choose the path you want. Guessing she had lumpectomy today. She can always opt for mx afterwards if she wants.

Danaqtr

I want to know what is the risk rate of heart or lung damage due to radiation. Is there any study

Runrcrb

Danaqtr - please take your mother to see a radiation oncologist before making a decision. Talk through the proposed plan and the potential for side effects. Often, the potential for damage to heart or lungs is dependent on where the radiation will be aimed and is 20 years or more down the road. Ask if your mother is a candidate for internal radiation (brachytherapy). My mother in law had radiation after lumpectomy 20 years ago and at 90, still plays tennis 3x a week. A mastectomy doesn't always mean no radiation and is invasive, presenting all sorts of other questions and decisions. If I could have done lumpectomy and radiation instead of mastectomy I would have - even before knowing that I'd be having my last mastectomy related surgery 22 months after my mastectomy.

Georgia1

The risk is quite low unless your mom is a smoker. And it's particularly low if it is her right breast being treated. Here's a summary:

https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/rads-ri...

Denise-G

Danaqtr - my mom was age 80 (a very active, young 80) at diagnosis of a 1.5 cm tumor - ER+ PR+ Her2- Our local doctors told her she would need chemo and radiation. I immediately took her to my NCI Designated Cancer Center, University of Michigan, where she met with Oncologists, Radiologists, and the Tumor Board met for her case. She had many heart issues also - 5 stents before cancer.

They recommended a lumpectomy, absolutely no chemo, and she made the decision for not to have radiation. She took an Aromatase Inhibitor for two years until she had severe side effects from balance issues. She flew through the Lumpectomy and went to the casino the day after surgery.

She is now 4.5 years out and doing well. They do watch her closely.

We were told at her age with that type of cancer, recurrences usually don't occur for 10 years or more if they are going to happen.

Danaqtr

Denise-G

Thanks. This is very encouraging story of your mom. How you decided to skip radiation without fearing from recurrence ???

I met with her oncologist today he said he thinks she will need lumpectomy then radiation then hormonal. I forgot to ask him if we can skip radiation:( tomorrow is her lumpectomy. I asked him if he thinks there is any risk on heart. He said he is not worry at all about this as they have good technique.

After the surgery, I will discuss if we can skip radiation and have the hormonal therapy only.

pupmom

Skipping radiation with a lumpectomy would be very foolish. If your mother is against radiation, she should talk to the surgeon about mastectomy.