Confused about Radiation treatment

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zmv
zmv Member Posts: 4
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

 I have Dcis - stge 0 ( grade2) . I had a wide excision lumpectomy on July 16 (0.8 mm negative margins).  I am very confused and coflicted about radiation therapy. Can I skip radiation therapy safely?

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  • Deirdre1
    Deirdre1 Member Posts: 1,461
    edited August 2010

    Hi zmv - that's the thing about DCIS they (medical science) really don't know what treatment we need - yet..  I would say, do as much research as you can on DCIS, have a second opinion on the slides and perhaps, if you think it might help, get a therapist involved in you list of specialists.. someone who will help you hear YOUR OWN voice when everyone elses seems to be screaming at you (not literally of course).. It's so difficult to hear our own wants and needs when so many people are putting their 2 cents in (people we love and who love us, co-workers, parents, children, siblings etc. they all have their own opinion on what you should do and it can tend to cloud yours!). Good luck and let us know what you decide!!!  Best, Deirdre

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  • Deirdre1
    Deirdre1 Member Posts: 1,461
    edited August 2010

    Hi zmv - that's the thing about DCIS they (medical science) really don't know what treatment we need - yet..  I would say, do as much research as you can on DCIS, have a second opinion on the slides and perhaps, if you think it might help, get a therapist involved in you list of specialists.. someone who will help you hear YOUR OWN voice when everyone elses seems to be screaming at you (not literally of course).. It's so difficult to hear our own wants and needs when so many people are putting their 2 cents in (people we love and who love us, co-workers, parents, children, siblings etc. they all have their own opinion on what you should do and it can tend to cloud yours!). Good luck and let us know what you decide!!!  Best, Deirdre

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  • sweatyspice
    sweatyspice Member Posts: 922
    edited August 2010

    Have you plugged your stats (size of DCIS, grade of DCIS, size of margins, your age) into the VNPI (Van Nuys Prognostic Indicator) and decided if the risk of recurrence was something you could live with?  Probably not very exact as a predictive tool, but all we've got to go on.

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  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited August 2010

    have you spoken to a radiologist who specializes in breast cancer or an oncologist?  For me that was most helpful in makign the decisions.

    I have to say, having gone through radiation, the during wasn't as bad as I thought and the recovery wasn't bad either.  I mean it was a drag being so tired and sore [and the radiation pneumonitis was icky too] but now that I'm "on the other side" given what they don't know about DCIS, I'm glad that I did it.

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  • CTMOM1234
    CTMOM1234 Member Posts: 633
    edited August 2010

    I agree with what 3 monstmama wrote. After speaking with the rad.onc., I felt much better about what rads was all about. The mental anguish beforehand was so much more stressful than the actual treatment plan. Tiredness didn't really impact me much, hardest part was just walking in that door (30 times, plus 3 consult/set-up appointments), plus I did get a bit red-lobsterish toward the end. Glad I did it, and it is true how quickly your skin recovers.

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