Radiation only, no chemo

Joan,

I was very concerned about the fact that the first onco I saw was very insistent that I needed chemo even though I had a small tumor and we caught it early. After I kicked and screamed a little, she ordered an onco dx test which showed that it would not be beneficial for my tumor. I think it is wonderful that we are able to have our treatment a little more personalized and that it is not just "one size fits all". When I went to get a second and third opinion, they all concurred that chemo is not always the best option for hormone sensitive types. I feel a great sense of relief that I was not subjected to unnecessary suffering.

I didnt require chemo either onco score 16. My concern when I got my diagnosis was that I would need chemo the rest I felt I could handle. My oncologist was the one to make the call and said I do not recommend it. My Radiation was internal so i went twice a day for 5 days. Had a few bumps in the road but all is now well and I use the naturopath and all she has to offer.

Love this thread. Its hard to relate to some of the other posts as I have not had lots of side effects or issues.



Where in Michigan are you from ICanDoThis?

Hi Joanne,

I am feeling the same way as you!  My treatment was similar to yours (lumpectomy and 16 Rads) and I frequently question myself if I was "under" treated.  My MO didn't recommend to do the Oncotype Dx as most of my tumor was DCIS (1.9 cm) and IDC (.2 cm).  Somehow, I feel that if the MO had done the Onco test I may have not been feeling this way.  But there is no way of knowing...  Like you, there is a level of guilt about not having chemo as part of the treatment.

Hello all..

yes, I'm also feeling this way... lumpectomy, SNB, Onco score of 8. Had surgery Oct 1, but not starting rads til Nov 26...so am really feeling like I have a few weeks of "normal"  which is soooo odd after all the drama of the last 8 weeks. I delayed the start of rads to fit with my teaching schedule which makes all the sense in the world. RO was supportive of it and said I had a wide window of opportunity. 

Oh where was this thread two weeks ago?  Here, but I hadn't found it yet!  

I transferred my care from a Toronto hospital to one closer to home,  In TO, the nurse nav asked me if I would take chemo if Oncotype came back 'High Low' and I said yes.  

From that time unitl two and half weeks later, I had met my new MO and then another appointment to get score results, which came back at 16.  She did not offer any chemo as the benefit was 1-2%.  I was okay with that as I left the office Tamoxifen script in hand. 

BUT, when I got home and started reading 18 was the high end of low, I started to second guess myself.  I just about made myself sick remembering what the nurse navigator had asked me in TO.  Then I started feeling like maybe I was being under-treated.  Maybe a bit of guilt that I didn't push harder for more of a discussion on chemo. My pathology and  Oncotype results make sense, but I still am having a wee bit of guilty remorse.  It's even hard to really describe what I am feeling, even though it is less now than two weeks ago.

I wonder too if it may be I know several survivors but  I am the only one who went straight to Tamoxifen.  

Outdamnedspot - Finished rads yesterday and am so happy to have dodged chemo.  I also had 16 oncotype and worried that the MO was just being 'lenient' with me and wondered if being on the high side of Low brought chemo into question.  He emphatically said that Low oncotype is Low oncotype and that the only place chemo is a maybe yes or maybe no is in the medium range (high is always a yes for chemo).  But still, I keep thinking i'm uncomfortably close to that Middle border...

I'm coming to the conclusion that I just have to accept that life from here on down the pike will always contain a question mark of recurrence and that I'll never feel again in a 'safe zone'.  And that every time I have a mammo or MRI, I'll be holding my breath a little harder than before.  Looking back, it's crazy that I felt like I was in a safe zone till I was diagnosed.  but there's definitely an edge now.  Is anyone else feeling this sense of "unsureness" or edginess?

Joanne, I just noticed that except for me being ILC and you being IDC, our stats are the same. 

Joanne, would like to know how you are feeling now? I too have that "guilt" feeling. I have had three surgeries and begin radiation Monday but to my great relief no chemo. Yet somehow I feel guilty over this. What a relief to find someone else felt the same way!

Bookworm I am at the same point as you.  7 more as boosts and I am done.  No chemo for me.  My onco score was a 17.  People at me work seem to forgot that I am going through treatment because I am so normal.  They don't see the fatique and red/brown areas on my body.  I was able to have treatments right after work so I didn't miss any work time.

it makes sense to me. Somehow we feel that something so  life changing needs to be treated even more aggresively. On the other hand, surgery, then lots of radiation and at least 5 years of heavy duty meds is strong medicine. I'm psyched to be through with rads after the next 8 treatments but I'm still nervous about the aromatase inhibitor...I guess I'll try them but I'm ver nervous about side effects. Cost/benefit?

Makes perfect sense to me. Almost as though we have not suffered enough to be part of the group. 

Hi,

I have been reading as much info as I can on radiation as my surgeon has already mentioned it to me and given me some options. I have a questions and didnt want to start a whole new thread, if you do radiation now after a lumpectomy, if God forbid it returns what are your options as far as having a masc, and using skin or nipple sparring surgery? Is it all ruined due to the radiation? I am sorry if I am not asking this correctly. I had ILC removed, I also have LCIS and DCIS, I assume the rads will kill them and any other ILC lurking. Is that a correct assumption? I am in fear if I do the radiation and it returns I wont have as many options treatment or for reconstruction. I know many choose to have a masc instead of lumpectomy, I feel if it happens again that I would have to consider that but not now.

Any info or opinions you want to share is greatly appreciated. I am sorry some of you feel some guilt in not doing chemo, I understand why you would feel this way but from someone new I look at you all the same, strong woman that fought a battle or still are, I dont compare who did what, we cant measure what someones pain or emotions are, or how easy or hard treatment was, no one wants to be on this team. Be proud I think your all warriors. Thank you all.

I was told if you have radiation and cancer comes back you can no longer have a lumpectomy, must have mastectomy and yes implants may not hold up, because of damaged tissue. I passed on radiation for now, just taking tamoxifen.