supraclavicular (above collar bone) area?

Options
faithfulc
faithfulc Member Posts: 284
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi.  My radiation oncologist wants to treat my supraclavicular (above collar bone) area.  I was wondering if anyone had this area treated.

I had 2 SN positive and 1/7 axillary (armpit) positive.  I asked why she chooses not to treat the underarm area but the collar bone.  She said since they got the one out of 7, she's comfortable with not zapping that area.  However, since the collar bone area is very hard to reach by surgery, she wants to make sure that if anything is there we get them zapped.  Sounds reasonable, but I really don't like the idea of having part of my neck all red, especially over the summer months with the blazing sun.  

Anyone had this area treated and what was your experience?  Thanks so much.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • RegulJ
    RegulJ Member Posts: 244
    edited May 2010

    Dear Faith-

    Tomorrow I will finish my 28 zapps to my Lt. side and collar bone area. My collarbone is very red currently but does feel better with aloe. The total area that is red is probably 4inches square.

    I have heard that zapping the armpit can cause more problems especially with the joint.

    The collarbone area is the next drainage point for the nodes in the armpit so if some random cancer cell has migrated it will get zapped.

    I have been told to keep it out of the sun and wear sunscreen/hats to help with shading.

    I am still wearing scaves on my head so I just drape the extra fabric on that side of my neck to help shield it.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fg2000
    fg2000 Member Posts: 30
    edited October 2010

    I am having the superclav area along with breast and axilla radiated. I just finished my 17th treatment today. I have no redness whatsoever yet. I have been applying 100% aloe vera gel to the targeted sites twice daily which may be helping with redness. Can't say for certain though.

    This morning I developed the feeling of a sore throat which progressively got worse throughout the course of the day. I now feel like I have a huge lump in my throat and am having a lot of difficulty swallowing. It was very painful to eat my dinner. My Rad oncologist did not mention this as being one of the side effects. I have an appointment with her on Tuesday and am anxious to hear what she says about this.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CT124
    CT124 Member Posts: 85
    edited October 2010

    fg2000-why dont you join us on the oct rads group.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sam52
    sam52 Member Posts: 950
    edited October 2010

    I also had rads to supraclav area,but I cannot remember any redness or other side effects.I did not have rads to the axilla. All in all the rads did not cause me any problems, only fatigue, made worse by the cumulative effect after 6 months of chemo.

    I was always very concerned about why I got the supraclacv rads, and never dared to ask, since I did not want more bad news.Your onc's explanation makes me feel better!

    Sam

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • debpatto
    debpatto Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2010

    Sorry to bother you, but have you got time to tell me how you found out you had cancer in this area.  I'm a bit loathe to go to my doctors at the moment, but I'm a bit worried

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TammyLou
    TammyLou Member Posts: 740
    edited October 2010

    Sometimes, the nodes will show up "hot" on scan.  (CT)

    Also there may be a high index of suspicion because of the pattern of lymph node involvement.

    Sometimes, people with highly aggressive cancers have the lymph nodes around their sternum and superclav treated with rads as an "insurance" policy.

     tl

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • chele
    chele Member Posts: 1,465
    edited February 2011

    I had rads to the supraclavicular area because I had a palpable node there.  Now I have a hard swelling in that area that appears to be a protest reaction to the radiation!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories