Anyone NOT do Rads?

 I am in the process of making this decision right now.

 Here's a link to an article (you'll have to order it online, but it's only $5 for handling for BC patients):  http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0360301607046020 

 I was getting mixed responses from radiologists, breast surgeons and my oncologist on whether to do rads or not.  This article helped me ask very precise questions about my particular cancer.  I was able to question much more precisely than I would have been able to without it.

That said, because I'm ER+/PR+ and the drugs I'll be on have been shown to work so well, I'm confident that rads won't add that much to my survival.  And, I already have problems with lymphedema.  My oncologist told me before I developed lymphedema that doing rads after a full axillary dissection would raise my risk of developing it to 50%.

 I read the posts here from women with lymphedema and that, combined with the conversation with my oncologist, the analysis of the study and it's applicability to my cancer, and an understanding of how I would be treated after chemo (bring on the tamoxifen!), encouraged me to say no to radiation.

 50%.

 But you're ER-/PR- and HER2+     You'll need to find out all the what-ifs for your cancer, should it recur.

Good luck with your decision!

 Suzy

p.s.  I had a mx with ax dissection and a prophylactic mx on the other side

I had chemo first and just had lumpectomy w/ SNB last Friday.  No nodes involved based on SNB (two were removed) but waiting for final path report this Friday.  I had possibly 3 nodes involved based on PET scan prior to chemo.  I know I am guaranteed for rads because I went with lumpectomy but wanted to mention that I had my consult with the rad oncologist before my surgery and she said even if I had a mastectomy she would want to do rads regardless of the pathology on the nodes at surgery.  She said it was because of my age (37) and the three nodes possibly involved at the beginning.  Just thought I'd share my experience. 

Carolyn  

Laura how do they know for  sure you only had one?  its my understanding they cant really tell from PET or MRI?

Because that was my oncs big reasoning for rads.  He said yes i only had one positive nodes at diganosis, but because i had chemo first, no-one can really say if i had more than one.  That there like a chain, and you cant see them all til surgery, you may have one positive, and the one above it may be positive, but they cant tell on scans and since mine were all negative at surgery, not one cancer cell left, we will never really know if there were more.  Just wondering if they gave you that same advice?