Radiation - Yes or No??

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rocknesmom
rocknesmom Member Posts: 39
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After
Hi everyone! I'm hoping someone can offer some advice to me! I have had a mastectomy, finished AC/T chemo 10 days ago, and am going in tomorrow for my radiation "fitting". My concern is that I have seen 2 radiation oncologists for opinions, and both agree that they cannot tell me to have or not to have radiation therapy. They say it is my decision. A little background; I had malignant melanoma 3 years ago, had skin graft and lymph node removal. Lymph nodes were positive for spread so I had a year of interferon. Then, this year, the breast cancer diagnosis - completely unrelated to the melanoma (LUCKY ME!!). The surgeon found 3 lymph nodes left behind from the previous surgery, and one of those was positive for BC spread. The parameters for radiation therapy are 1-3 positive lymph nodes, but since I only had 3, who knows if there would've been more spread??  My family does not want me to do radiation, since I am still trying to get my strength back from the chemo (I did terribly with the Taxol - lots of bone pain). I am of the "whatever it takes to keep it away" mindset, but I am also only 10 days out of chemo!!  Any thoughts from anyone??   You are all so wise and knowledgable, and I appreciate any input! Thank you!! 
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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited June 2010

    Does your plain old oncologist have an opinion? Seems like it should be somebody's job to advise you!!! I guess if it were left to me; I'd be in the 'let's hit it with everything we can NOW' mindset too. After doing chemo, I found radiation to be a piece of cake. I started radiation about 3 weeks after finishing chemo......it is a whole different thing, I didn't feel sick or fatigued or anything from rads (chemo would be a whole different story). Best of luck! Ruth

    computer froze up & then copied the same post twice, sorry!

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited June 2010

    Does your plain old oncologist have an opinion? Seems like it should be somebody's job to advise you!!! I guess if it were left to me; I'd be in the 'let's hit it with everything we can NOW' mindset too. After doing chemo, I found radiation to be a piece of cake. I started radiation about 3 weeks after finishing chemo......it is a whole different thing, I didn't feel sick or fatigued or anything from rads (chemo would be a whole different story). Best of luck! Ruth

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  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 1,541
    edited June 2010

    Was your diagnosis invasive cancer, hence the spread?

    Ruthbru is right - most women find radiation to be more tolerable than chemo, though of couse it is not with its side effects. Be sure to discuss these with your rad onc.

    Doctors usually give you 3 weeks before starting rads so you can gain a little strength back.  If you're of the "whatever it takes to keep it away" mindset, you should go for the rads, imo. You need to do what feels right for you... and your family will need to support that decision. I wish you well.

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  • rocknesmom
    rocknesmom Member Posts: 39
    edited June 2010

    Thank you so much for you input, Ladies! I have decided to go for it! Went in for my "fitting" today, so the tattoos are on, the mold made, and I start on the 12th.

     My oncologist bowed to the wisdom of the radiologists, but agreed with my decision to do rads.

     I'm so happy to have a couple of weeks off, since I did not tolerate the Taxol and neulasta combination very well!

     Again, thank you for taking the time to respond to my post! It really helps me feel that I have made the right decision!

    I wish you good health! 

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited June 2010

    I think you ARE making the right decision; you'll know that you have done everything that you can do, which is important psychologically as well as medically. When I was making my decisions,  a friend of mine who is a surgical nurse & a 30 year BC survivor reminded me that radiation would only be 6 weeks out of the whole rest of my life......blink and gone! Best of Luck! Ruth

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  • shells43
    shells43 Member Posts: 1,022
    edited July 2010

    YES- why not? Throw everything you have at this, especially since you have other histories. I had this conversation with my surgeon at a followup appt. last month. He said the rad is nothing compared to the chemo (he is a leukemia survivor so can attest). I had a large tumor but no positive lymph nodes and he still thinks I should have it.

    Maybe you need to just have a month off or so to rest and recover and then start radiation. That might help body and spirit.

    Best of luck to you! 

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