APBI - accelerated partial breast irradiation

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Loafer
Loafer Member Posts: 121
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I will be starting rads in February and may be a candidate for APBI. Sounds great since its external and only a week long. Any thoughts?

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  • kira1234
    kira1234 Member Posts: 3,091
    edited January 2013

    Loafer,  I had it done 2 years ago. For me it was a good choice because it was my left breast, and there was concern for my heart. I found the 5 days rather long with having to have 2 treatments a day, but found recovery very easy!

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  • Loafer
    Loafer Member Posts: 121
    edited January 2013

    Thanks for the response Kira! I think my onc said the external was three weeks rather than one week. It cut the six weeks in half. I will get more info during my visit next week. Anyone else have success?

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  • kira1234
    kira1234 Member Posts: 3,091
    edited January 2013

    Loafer,

    I just bumped a thread  about APBI. It's an old thread, but might give you some info!

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  • ej01
    ej01 Member Posts: 155
    edited January 2013

    I had the 5 day external APBI.  The treatment was pretty easy and painless.  I did not have any external skin issues, or the terrible fatigue i ready about with the 6 week plan...(I may have had some pretty slight fatigue, or maybe just an off day.)  In the short term the studies have shown that it is about as effective as the full whole breast radiation .  This makes sense because most recurrances are in the area of the original tumor.  Because it is a relatively new technique they don't have a lot of data to say whether or not it is as effective in the long term. 

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  • GeorgiaMom
    GeorgiaMom Member Posts: 66
    edited January 2013

    I had the 5 day Mammosite radiation last February and had no complications at all. It was a difficult week and uncomfortable, but I was able to keep working and was done in five days. I was especially glad that I didn't have to spend 6-7 weeks doing radiation after chemo. Some people do have complications so make sure you do some research. Good luck!

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  • Loafer
    Loafer Member Posts: 121
    edited January 2013

    Thanks Kira, ej01, georgiamom for your thoughtful responses.



    My onc is discussing the Canadian protocol which is external rads for three weeks. I'll be getting more info at my appointment next week.



    Has anyone done this?

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited January 2013

    Loafer, I was offered the 5-day partial breast radiation (external).  Because I am triple positive I decided on the 19 day treatment--16 regular plus 3 boosts.  It was very doable and I didn't have any problem with my skin.  I did however, use Aquaphor twice a day, starting with right after my radiation.

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  • MameMe
    MameMe Member Posts: 425
    edited February 2013

    I am interested in the amount of choice I have in the kind of rads series I get: have people had a choice to do the one week external course or the standard? Any further input from those who had the one week course? It sure sounds good to me!

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  • Loafer
    Loafer Member Posts: 121
    edited February 2013

    Hi mameMe - I am currently in a 3 week clinical for APBI. I was selected through a random computer generated selection process. Your hospital or clinic has to participate and support the trial. I am (10 of 14) and love it! No problems so far....



    I lived in Maine for 10 years and miss it greatly. Still vacation there every summer. Most beautiful place on earth. Good luck to you!

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  • ej01
    ej01 Member Posts: 155
    edited February 2013

    mameMe,  I had the one week external radiation.  I know that there are clinical trials across the country for that.  I dont think it is very common to offer it outside the trials, although my RO did.  Age, size of tumor and proliferation index are all factors that they considered when offering it to me.  I was pretty much going to refuse the full radiation, so it was this partial breast/1 week radiation or nothing. 

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  • MameMe
    MameMe Member Posts: 425
    edited February 2013

    Hi Loafer and ej, I appreciated your comments. I had the simulation session at the radiation onc center on Friday. They said that the tumor had been too close to the chest wall for me to do the one week series. So I am set to meet with them one more time March 6, then start a four week series. I was worried about keeping my job during that process, but the boss said it was OK to do a partial day and take off early to travel to the radiation center, about an hour from work. There is a short term disability insurance offered thru the company that will pay 60 % of my pay for the hours I need to take off for treatment. That will help.

    Hope all is well with you,

    Mame

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  • MameMe
    MameMe Member Posts: 425
    edited April 2013

    Time for an update: I completed the three week rads with 4 days of boost several days ago, and am relieved that that process is over. I picked up a nasty virus three weeks ago that knocked me for a loop, and I had to postpone three sessions at rads. They tack them on at the end, so I finished later than predicted. I took time off of work two weeks ago, and will be going back 4/22. I am so glad I could use short term disability for that, as there was no way I could have kept up with my clients and my tx and my recovery from the virus.

    I am counting the days til the skin over the lymph nodes starts to heal up, as its really burned and sensitive.

    Now to get it together to go back to work and be normal!! Maybe I will start with walking more and getting some stretching in...

    Best wishes to all and thank you for your supportive words.

    Mame

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