Radiation therapy -- skin with previously existing problem.

pennylane222 · June 2012

Just diagnosed in June 2012 with ILC, lesion size 2.3 x 2.5 cm, estrogen positive, her2 (spelling?) neg. My BS gave me a choice between a double mastectomy or a lumpectom with radiation following that. I have a lot of scar tissue (keloid) formation. The skin between my breasts stays irritated and itchy and even sore, irritated by clothing also. I have large red overgrown scars where each skin staple was placed. My question is what Ican use to help protect the scar tissue from burning? Also one of the sternal wires slipped through the sternum after a coronary artery bypass grafting surgery I had done in 2005. Just wondering if anyone else has had problem skin in the area to be radiated and how it turned out and what they did. I am 77, if I were younger, I would opt for a double mastectomy and am still tempted to do that.

pennylane222 · June 2012

Sorry, I do not know how to fix this tiny, tiny print\

Leah_S · June 2012

Pennylane, I suggest you ask your radiation oncologist about the skin problems. I haven't heard anything about this. I have heard, though, that many docs would say it's OK to opt out of rads considering your age. This is not because they don't think it's worth treating you, but because the side effects sometimes outweigh the benefits of the treatment.

If you think the double mastectomy would be too difficult a surgery but you don't want the radiation, is there any reason not to have a single mastetomy?

Best of luck with your decision.

Leah

DeborahC · June 2012

Hi Penny, I had a large, fresh surgical scar in the area I had radiation and was also worried. The RO told me that radiation actually helps scar tissue - and the part of my scar that was radiated is actually the nicest looking part of it. I believe they used to do radiation therapy for keloids. This was an abdominal scar and the radiation was for lymphoma, so a little different. I would ask the radiation oncologist for her/his opinion.

pennylane222 · June 2012

To Leah, Thanks, I could do the single mastectomy, but unfortunately having very large size, it would look and feel very uncomfortable, although might be better. Thanks very much

Also in reply to Deborah C, thanks, but I do not have an oncologist yet, my BS plans to refer me to one after the surgery. I am glad to hear about the keloids being treated with radiation, might help, but I am still wondering about the sternal wires. Thanks.

Radiation therapy -- skin with previously existing problem.

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