brachytherapy? Anyone having or have had this method?

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Lorial1962
Lorial1962 Member Posts: 20
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

My Dr. suggested this option for me. If you have had or are having this method of radiation, what do you think? Pros/cons

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited March 2013

    http://journals.lww.com/oncotimesuk/Fulltext/2012/02000/The_jury_s_still_out_on_whether_or_not.8.aspx

    Here's a well balanced review of the controversy concerning brachytherapy.  I was offered it back in 2010, but after doing research I declined.  It is NOT the standard of care and while covered by insurance it is still considered experimental.  I did radiation for 6 weeks and breezed through it.

    I wish you well with your decision.

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited March 2013

    Hi, I too researched it and chose not to ask for it, before being told I wasn't even a candidate due to my tumor having been too close to the skin surface. Here is a lengthy discussion thread from the DCIS board  http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/68/topic/723404 

    for me, 7 weeks of radiation were doable, the facility was close by, went in the morning and kayaked in the afternoon! If you lived far from the radiation facility or had problems with scheduling, the convenience of one week seems to be the primary, if not only reason to choose brachytherapy.

    Problems with outcomes seem to be related to radiologists not following the protocols regarding to which candidates it should be offered. I would question why the radiologist thinks it is the best alternative - outcome-wise for you in particular.

    Good luck whatever you decide.

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  • redsox
    redsox Member Posts: 523
    edited March 2013

    The following article describes guidelines from the major professional society of radiation oncologists for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) (brachytherapy is one method) based on the data available. 

    www.sciencedirect.com/science/...

    Criteria for being "suitable" for APBI include patient age >= 60 years old, no BRCA 1/2 mutation, tumor size <= 2 cm., Stage T1, margins negative by at least 2 mm., no lymph-vascular space invasion, ER+, unicentric only, clinically unifocal with total size <= 2 cm., invasive ductal or other favorable histology, not pure DCIS, no extensive intraductal (i.e. DCIS) component, pathologically node negative, sentinel node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. The article goes on to loosen some of those criteria in defining a "cautionary" group for whom APBI may be considered, as well as a group of patients for whom APBI is "unsuitable".

    Some radiation oncologists are more favorably inclined toward APBI than others and use of these guidelines, especially for the "cautionary" group will vary.

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

    Lorial, you couldn't pay me to do this procedure.  Be sure you read everything you can and that way you will be making a conscious choice and will be informed on what could possibly happen.

    I was fortunate in that I only had to do 19 rounds of radiation.  It was a piece of cake.

    I was also a candidate for an external partial breast radiation which involves 5 days of radiation, twice a day and then you are finished.

    Good lunch.

    Liz

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