How often did you have to do rads?

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smalldoggroomer
smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

I just read someplace that some one had rads every day for weeks and weeks is this the usual protocol? Everyday? How would you do this and work?? How long did your rads last? I will have to drive a hour to hospital and a hour back. I guess I will have to do what I have to do. Just wondering Thanks

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  • pj12
    pj12 Member Posts: 25,402
    edited June 2010

    It's  true, standard radiation protocol is about 7 weeks, Monday thru Friday. Some doctors do a three week course and there is a very new procedure where the radiation is given once at the time of surgery. But most of us do about 7 weeks daily. One usually sees the radiation oncologist soon after surgery while healing to plan the treatment course. Usually radiation is given after surgery and after chemo if you do it too. Working women usually schedule rads first thing in the AM or last thing in the PM, or during lunch if they are not far away. My sessions lasted anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. Sometimes I had to wait a while for my turn. 

    It seems like it lasts forever but somehow we all get thru it. Good luck!

    pam 

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  • sweatyspice
    sweatyspice Member Posts: 922
    edited June 2010

    I had rads every day, M-F for 5 weeks.  That was 'whole breast radiation.'  Normally there would have been an extra week for a boost to the tumor area alone (making it a total of 6 weeks, as I understood it), but for reasons particular to my case, we couldn't do that. 

    So I had 5 weeks of M-F.  

    Generally, rads for breast cancer are once a day, every weekday.  Unless you have mammosite (rads during surgery) I don't think there's a way around that.  There are newer protocols, like the "canadian fraction" where you have fewer treatments (I think it's normally 3 weeks) with a higher dose at each treatment.  I'm not sure if that's offered everywhere, at least I'm not sure about its availability in the US.

    I scheduled for 8:30am.  If they were running on schedule I was out by 8:45, but there were certainly times I didn't get out until 10.  Or later.

    Once a week you should be seen by your radiation oncologist.  That session will take longer. 

    How will you do this?  Try to schedule it as early as possible or as late as possible.  (Some centers are open till 8pm or so.)  Other than that, you 'do what you have to do.' 

    God Luck! 

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  • BarbaraA
    BarbaraA Member Posts: 7,378
    edited June 2010

    I am 4 tx into the Canadian protocol with 12 remaining. The great thing is, I am scheduled for 7:45 and because that is the 2nd appt, they never run late. I am out of there by 8. Try to go for the earliest you can get. So far, so good.

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  • NatureGrrl
    NatureGrrl Member Posts: 1,367
    edited July 2010

    I went in every day, M-F, for 38 (I think) treatments, except holidays.  My appointments, from undressing to walking out the door, were usually less than 15 minutes, and I rarely had to wait more than a couple of minutes.  Every 5 treatments I saw the rad. oncologist.  It really wasn't bad but I didn't have to drive far, either.  Best of luck.

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