no boosts

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mckenna
mckenna Member Posts: 413
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I have dcis. I am getting 25 full breast rads without boosts. I have not heard anyone who did not get boosts. Just wanted to know if anyone else did not get boosts

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  • Hildy910
    Hildy910 Member Posts: 319
    edited June 2012

    I am getting 25 treatments with no boosts as well. I had a mastectomy rather than lumpectomy and assumed that was the reason. 

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  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited June 2012

    mckenna - I am not sure of this answwer -- I had a lumpectomy -- I had IDC and also had 25 treatments and NO boosts.

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited June 2012

    Good to know others did not get boosts if I had had a mastectomy I would not have needed any rads but my bs neglected to inform me of this :(

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited June 2012

    mckenna, I am not having boosts either.  In my case it is because I "negotiated" with my RO not to have them.  I was not going to have radiation at all, because of the possible lung side effects, and my RO talked me into radiation with the promise of no boosts.  

    Some people, even with DCIS, do get radiation after bmx or umx (my RO told me she would recommend rads regardless - because of the proximity of the original tumor to my chest wall).  But, that is really weird that your BS did not discuss mx with you at all ... I thought all BS laid this option out.  Not cool.

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited June 2012

    i have since switched bs's but the regret and second guessing will always be there.  he sort of dismissed me and i even asked about umx and he basically dismissed me.  i love my new bs but it is too little too late ;( 

    glad to know others are not getting boosts, not that i want them but i like to know there are others with similar treatment plans.

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  • reesie
    reesie Member Posts: 2,078
    edited June 2012

    It is my understanding that boosts depend on how good margins were and how close to the surface the cancer was.



    Boosts are directed to the scar area mainly as recurrence along the scar is not uncommon when you have small margins near the surface of the skin.



    Of course I could be wrong (it wouldn't be new).

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  • lane4
    lane4 Member Posts: 175
    edited June 2012

    hi, mckenna - I wish I had not had the boosts because it's obvious I have more dense scarring in that area. Also, a biopsy of a lump in that area last year showed fat necrosis. I had good margins after my partial mastectomy, but my RO told me the boosts were necessary because most recurrences happen in the immediate vicinity of the original tumor. Maybe my age had something to do with it (I was 48 at the time). I wonder if they are backing down on some of the treatment now because of all the press about overtreatment of DCIS in the last couple of years.

    Also, my BS told me up front that I didn't have to lose my breast - he felt sure he could get clean margins. My response was, "Good, I don't want to lose a breast," so mastectomy was not even discussed. Of course, now I worry about reconstruction difficulties due to radiation if I have a recurrence in the same breast.

    Can you ask your RO specifically why your treatment plan does not include boosts? It could be that your margins are widely negative or the current thinking may be that boosts are not needed for Grade 1 pathology.

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited June 2012

    i think it may be the margin issue.  the pathology report from my lumpectomy was no evidence of disease.  the enitre spot of DCIS was removed with the initial biopsy so there were no margin issues as there was no cancer left at time of lumpectomy.  i am only 38 so that is why the RO recommended full breast rads to begin with.

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  • HealingDreams
    HealingDreams Member Posts: 50
    edited June 2012

    My RO also is planning no boosts. I cannot remember why but will ask at the next opportunity.

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  • jdwench
    jdwench Member Posts: 27
    edited June 2012

    Hi ladies, I haven't posted here yet, tomorrow is day 16 of treatment for me. it's going ok, much more tired than I expected, just in the last couple of days. sooo glad for the 2 days off this weekend. I'll be doing 7 boosts, I have no idea what that even means, I hope they won't be worse than the regular treatments. my last day will be July 2, just in time for "independance" day.  Judy

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  • mckenna
    mckenna Member Posts: 413
    edited June 2012

    Hi judy, we have a a may rads thread (really we are may/june/beg. of july) you are welcome to join us.  good luck

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  • Mopsy
    Mopsy Member Posts: 49
    edited June 2012

    I objected to the "boost" terminology also.  If treatment is accurate, why must it be "boosted"?  RO told me that the most likely point of recurrence is along the scar of mastectomy, so the "boost" is actually radiation along the scar.  The other places, like the sides, will not be done then.

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