questions about radiation

icey · February 2010

Hi Ladies, I am getting ready to have radiation because I had a lumpectomy. What I would like to know is if they radiate the whole breast or only the place the cancer use to be. Do they cover the rest of your body so that you don't get radiation to other organs such as heart. The rad oncologist said since my bc was on the right that it is less of a chance of the radiation hitting my heart. Also I have heard ratiation make u tired. My question is how tired? Could u work or would u have to take time off to rest. Went I met with the radiation oncologist I was overwhelmed at the time and didn't ask many questions.

lotstolivefor · February 2010

Good morning icey!

I've had 9 treatments so far on my right breast, and I'm almost a pest when it comes to asking my techs a million questions--including the ones you're asking! First off, your entire breast will likely be radiated because they don't want to miss any stray cancer cells that might be lurking. This does mean that the radiation field will go right up to the chest wall a bit, because there is breast tissue there. This also means that some radiation will 'skim' a small portion of your lung. I know that sounds scary! I've been reassured dozens of times, though, that it's a very small amount, and there are typically no side effects from it. It amounts to between 1-3 cm of lung exposed. I did lots of research about it, and I encourage you to do the same--knowledge is power! And knowledge helps you feel less anxious.

Second, they don't cover anywhere else on your body--and I did ask them this very question last week! The radiation is precise enough so that they don't need to do that, and they don't want such material (like a lead apron, for example) to interfere with the area that needs to be treated.

As far as being tired, it might be a bit early for me to comment on this, but so far so good! The daily commute to treatment tires me a bit, but I'm feeling very good otherwise.

Good luck with your treatment!

Editing to add: I just saw that you and I have very similar diagnosis--and we were diagnosed a day apart! Just thought that was interesting.....I'm assuming you didn't need chemo?

icey · February 2010

Dear Lotstolivefor, Thank u so much for answering my questions. I forgot to ask about the burns that radiation can cause. I decided not to do chemo becasue it would only benefit me 3%. I have read chemo is good on rapidly dividing cells but mine is very show dividing. I think I will be fine with the radiation and tamoxifen.

somanywomen · February 2010

Lots & icey..I just finished 30 rads Jan 14....(wow almost a month ago!) it did go fast!!....I was with the December 2009 rads group...If you want, you can read through some of our posts from begin to end of rads and how different the treatments and se's were...It was amazing to compare our rads....I myself was never tired from the treatments, no nausea, I did however get an itchy red rash that is now completely gone...Mine was on left so I do worry about long term effect of rads on my heart and lungs, but still with odds I knew I had to do them..Now on Arimidex for last 3 weeks and so far so good......Good luck to both of you....

Lots dx 10/27/2009..icey dx 10/28/2009...me lump 10/29/2009

rosalinda65 · February 2010

I had 33 sessions in November and December 2009 (28 whole breast and 5 boost).

I am a high school teacher and luckily this year had a 2 hour break in the middle of the day (both planning periods and my lunch). I taught until the term ended December 19 and continued daily radiation for two more weeks, ending New Year's Eve. I never missed a class during radiation, but I did have friends drive me there (20 minutes each way) the 3rd, 4th, and 5th weeks, just to make sure I didn't get to tired and because it was nice to chat. I might have found it difficult to teach the 6th and 7th weeks, but luckily that was Christmas break.

My experience was that the simulation was difficult because I am very short, 4'10" and have a short neck. The molds are not made for my body. They eventually did one but by the end of the second week I was very crispy in my armpit. They redid the simulation and the second mold was much better. I was told my only choices of burn-prevention were aloe or Biafine. But, I was getting early burns all over by the middle of the third week and asked to be given a prescription for RadiaplexRx which I had found on the Internet. I started using it and it actually improved my skin even though radiation was continuing. By the end I was amazing the docs and nurses because I really had no awful burns, just the general overall redness. I also used pieces of old thin washcloths to be between my bra and my skin at the bottom fold of the breast. They said to clean with Dove soap but I found the Cetaphil bar soap to be better.

I had a big poster in my living room with the numbers from 1 to 33 on it and crossed off as I went with 33 crossed off first. That way I could remind myself how many I had to go and see that number getting lower and lower.

Good luck and be sure to speak up and ask questions - even if it seems to annoy the techs or docs or nurses. I had 100% good experience with the docs and nurses and about 80% with the techs, a couple of whom were either incompetent or mean.

kmf · February 2010

My tumor was in my left breast -- I asked my rad. onc and she showed me a diagram showing that less than 20 % of my lung and less than 10% of my heart were in the field. I have small breasts and my tumor was near the skin so I had a bolus to deliver the rays near skin level-- I got really fried. I have seen several others who did not have the bolus and they were really like a sunburn, one lady is barely pink and she is near the end! I have exercised throughout this and have not felt any fatigue so far. Tomorrow is my last treatment and my skin has started to recover since the whole breast radiation discontinued last Fri. and just the boost to the tumor site has been delivered. I would advise you to watch the armpit area -- I got really, really burned there and didn't know until it was too late that the area was in the field. Use your creams that they recommend on that area too. It is a problematic area to deal w/because of the skin chafing w/normal movement. Good luck. Karenanne

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