No radiation after mx

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Faith316
Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
edited June 2014 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

IBC is my second BC diagnosis.  (See my cancer history below in my signature line.)  Since I previously had radiation after lumpectomy and chemo with my first dx, my radiation oncologist says I cannot have any more radiation now post-mx.  I know most IBC girls have radiation to the chest wall after their mx.  Is there anybody else besides me who isn't having it?  I sure don't want my cancer to come back again.  Twice is two times too many already, thank you very much!

Thanks for any replies.

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited February 2010

    I've also heard that you can only radiate an area once, but you'll probably feel better if you get a second opinion.

    Best of luck.

    Leah

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  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 802
    edited February 2010

    Ugh...I know there is a radiation max.  My local onc wanted to do radiation prior to surgery since the chemo wasn't doing it, and one of my big concerns was not being able to do radiation post-surgery.  I know I have talked to an IBCer on here and ibcsupport that had radiation prior to surgery so must not have been able to have it afterwards.  Hopefully she will chime in. 

    I hope you are doing well!

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  • ibcmets
    ibcmets Member Posts: 4,286
    edited February 2010

    I've been on a few boards since being diagnosed 6/09.  I have not found any guarantees that cancer does not come back due to having radiation and found many woman having reoccurences after surgery, chemo & radiation.  I hear each woman's treatment is customized for her symptoms.  Seek a 2nd opinion if you are uncomfortable with decisions being made and I also heard that they don't radiate the same area again.

    Terri

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    I actually have had three opinions and they all concur.  (My local medical oncologist, my local radiation oncologist and my oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center.)  I'm not really questioning if it is right, just wondering if there are others in treatment for IBC who will also not be able to have radiation after mastectomy.  I agree with you, Terri, there is no guarantee regardless of what treatment someone does or does not have that cancer will not recur.  Thanks to all 3 of you for your replies.

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    Bonnie, I do have my pathology report and it says all clear everywhere.  With my lumpectomy a year and a half ago, I had axillary node dissection and had 8 nodes removed, two of which were malignant.  With my mx 3 weeks ago, they did another axillary node dissection and took 5 more nodes.  All of these were ok.  No malignant cells.  All my PET/CT scans in the past 6 months have also been NED, so it appears that finally I am in remission.  Just have to stay that way!  Thanks for your reply

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  • lexi4
    lexi4 Member Posts: 1,074
    edited February 2010

    Hi Faith,

    You are right. No guarantees, but you have done what you could do to keep the beast from coming back. You have NED now and it just needs to stay that way!! I'm with you!Wink

    Lexi

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  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 802
    edited February 2010

    Faith,

    Awesome news about your path report!  Here is to a lifetime of being NED!!

    Lori

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  • cwrightrn
    cwrightrn Member Posts: 242
    edited February 2010

    As a fellow IBC'er I'll chime in.....I had radiation post mastectomy.  Because of the high risk of skin recurrence (in fact, post mastectomy there was a spot on my incision that looked positive before radiation) I asked my radiation oncologist what would happen if skin mets recurred...he did say that the chest is an an area that can be radiated more than once so that is an option for me.  That is my experience...hope it helps

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    That is interesting that your radiation oncologist told you that the chest can be radiated more than once.  My radiation oncologist told me mine could not as I had already had the maximum dose of radiation. 

    Thanks for your replies, girls!

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