RAD treatment for Lumpectomy/DCIS but with History of Smoking?

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/new_research/20080122.jsp

Above is a link to a story on this site about it.  When I posted this before people jumped in to say not to listen as this study was old.  I have not, however, found anything to refute it.  As a long time smoker this factored into me not wanting to do radiation. I live in fear of lung cancer and dearly regret that habit.  Your oncologist would be the one to ask though.

You are welcome!  Well, my stats are DCIS with 1mm of microinvasion grade 2 ER+/PR+ HER-

Because the DCIS was so widespread I had to get a UMX which I was really bummed about at first because I wanted to conserve the breast and thought Rad would be the easiest thing.  I seriously had no idea what was involved with radiation other than it would be inconvenient to go every day for 6 weeks.  Once I found out what it entailed and the risk for smokers I was so glad to have the MX.  And the MX was really pretty easy for me and so are the TEs.  Nothing at all like I expected.  And honestly I am not even traumatized at all to look at my scar.  I actually am liking the fact that it is smaller than my real one-I look much thinner now.  My MO wanted me to go on tamoxifan as my only treatment but since the IDC was only 1 mm it really would only take my risk of local reoccurence down from 1-2% to about 1/2%.  On the other breast it would take it down to about 5%.  I have not liked the idea of taking tamox at all and for my case have really felt that the SEs and risks were more than what I could gain from it.  So after much consideration have finally decided to do a MX on the other side.  This will give me major peace of mind as well as nicely matched foobs :-) And no more treatment for BC!  (Godwilling of course-there is always that small chance it could come back to what is left of my breasts) 

 Honestly-you might really want to consider a MX.   Many surgeons are all about conserving the breast-mine included.  In Susan Loves book she explains it that they fought so hard to get to the place where they could preserve the breast that she hates to see the trend of prophyMX.   I was talking to my PS today about it and she concurred that the old-school breast surgeons do not like to do anything more than what is necessary but she agreed with me that you should logically worry about preserving your life over your breast. 

I feel the same way about fearing lung more than breast cancer.  You should check out the book Anti Cancer- A New Way of Life.  It gives you so much information on all cancer and how to prevent it.  I feel like I am now actively trying to prevent cancer rather than being just afraid that it will strike. 

Have you ever tried Chantix to quit? This was the only thing that has helped me quit in the past but I always started up again for social smoking after I was quit for a while.   Thankfully I was able to quit for good when I got my BC DX. 

TEs are Temporary Expanders.  They put these in where your breast used to be and you go every couple weeks to have them filled with saline.  When you are the size you want to be they switch them out and put in a silicone or saline implant.  This is one of several means of reconstruction though. 

Glad to hear that you are able to stop smoking as much.  Once you get your gameplan in place I am confident that you will quit for good.  So hard though-I still do miss it for 2 things:  anxiety and stress relief and with a drink. 

Good luck on your decision.  You are doing the right thing getting all of your options BEFORE surgery.   I wish I would have -I would have done the MXs at the same time and been done with it. 

hello !

I had surgery (lumpectomy) last december.  I didn't quit smoking because I am waiting to feel better and  will stop when I will go back to work.  At home I have nothing to do and think about that every minutes. I know I should had quit but...

I am having rads right now for 4 weeks (5 days a week) and they asked me if I smoke and said yes but they don't tell me anything about radiations and smoking habit.  I know that I should have quitted when I had diagnosis but I am not able to quit right now.  I quitted smoking in 2011 for 9 weeks and I was so depressed, so I will wait a while and try again in a couple of months.  For now I have enough stress.

I know that smoking is very bad, but for now I am telling me that it is not a few weeks that will change something.  I think about quitting every day and prepare myself to do it but not until my mind is going back to normal.  I am on a leave of absence from work and hope to go back in april so I fixed the date in april and try to conditionnate myself to succeed.

I was diagnosed in August, and quit smoking two days later.  I did chemo, then lumpectomy, and am now 14/34 treatments into radiation.  I am really trying hard not to regret my decision not to have a mastectomy and forego the rads.  But that link to that article is scaring the sh** out of me.  Those are some scary numbers!

None of my drs said anything about increased risk of lung cancer with rads because I was a former smoker, but I figured that it was true with or without rads.  Smoking has done lots of damage to my lungs I'm sure.  In spite of my smoking history, they still recommended the lumpectomy and radiation.  They did tell me that quitting smoking was the best thing to do for my treatment. (Duh, we all know that!).  I smoked for 40 years, and I fear that quitting at this time may be too little too late.

I am in a similar situation. I have been a smoker for 40 years (not so great, I know). I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2/16/12, 4mm, stage 1. I am to schedule a lumpectomy, consultation with a doctor is 3/6/12. I already decided not to go on any medication, i.e., Tamoxifen, or chemo. But I am not sure whether to agree to radiation or not since I also have COPD. I have tried to quit smoking, tried Chantix two different times, but I just can't do it. I know, I am stupid. I will ask my doctor about radiation and being a smoker but I really would prefer no radiation since it might do more harm than good. Since it's so recent that I've been diagnosed with breast cancer I've been trying to research and am pretty confused at this point about all the pros and cons for treatment. I have reviewed Dr. John R. Lee and Dr. Mercola websites who are not fans of chemo., radiation, and Tamoxifen, which apparently do more harm than good.  They are more into hormone balancing and nutrition. But try to find a doctor who is into hormone balancing AND covered by insurance is practically impossible. I still need to decide, radiation or not?

chef127:  I wish you luck with the smoking...you know better than anyone else what will happen if you fail to quit.  It's probably the second greatest priority next to beating bc.  When you stop, be sure and juice and drink lots of parsley and cilantro as it helps to clear your system of the nicotine.  A friend of mine did this and he was able to quit cold turkey in very short order.

Sending you prayers and lots of positive energy for your next challenge. 

mrkffr11, my best wishes for you.  I am also a smoker, 40+ years.  Have you found out anything about radiation on smokers?

I would be very suspicious of a facility that does not do targeted radiatiion.  Whole breast radiation only seems pretty radical. 

I am having a lumpectomy this Friday 4/6. I was urged to followup with 6 weeks/5 days a week of radiation. I did not want to do this. Via the internet I discovered interoperative radiation (which was not offered as an option). I told my doctor what I discovered. She said it is still a new procedure and there are no long term studies, however, she put me in touch with a radiologist anyway. He agreed I am a candidate, mainly because he admitted that the normal radiation treatment could possibly damage my lung and I already have COPD. The interoperative radiation is a one-time treatment, done while you are still under, in the area of the lumpectomy, for approximately 1/2 hour. I did more research and this procedure is said to be just as effective as the standard 6 weeks/5 days a week of radiation. This procedure is not widely used yet, my hospital (Northwestern, Chicago) has only done it for about a year. Those who are facing radiation may want to look into interoperative as an option.