Radiation after breast lumpectomy - How soon?

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ChgoDeb
ChgoDeb Member Posts: 31
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Had lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy about 10 days ago.  Great news; clean margins & had not spread. I went to see both a med & a radio onco. Will not be doing chemo.  I'll like to get a 2nd opinion about the radiation therapy, but the other doc I'd like to see is booked for another 2 weeks.  This means radiation potentially won't start for 5-6 wks after surgery.  Is that too late??  Also, the 1st radi onco said 4 wks @ a higher dose verses stnd 6-7 wks (hypo-fractional I believe).  Has anyone had the shortened higher does treatment?  How did it go?  Thanks & the best to all of you out there!!!

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited January 2014

    There is usually a time period between surgery and radiation to allow the incision(s) to heal.  If it's not healed prior to starting radiation, there may be complications in healing.

    As for your other questions, I'd get that second opinion.

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  • ritagz
    ritagz Member Posts: 29
    edited January 2014

    [my doc is doing research on shortened radiation.  there is already a five year study that agrees that in some cases less is just as effective, and in UK there seems to be 10 year studies that come to the same conclusion. depends on size, age, hostology, many things, but it definitely is being studied

    I am post menopausal and the treatment for me as part of this study is - 30 Gy as opposed to 60 Gy and it is once a day for 5 days.

    There are many studies that are proving that less in certain circumstances is just as effective.

    In many cases  for early stage breast cancer (with other considerations)  - partial breast radiation as opposed to full breast, is just as effective.  I am doing this because it makes sense to me an I feel like I would have been one of the women that given my circumstances would have just had the lumpectomy when others were doing the radical mastectomy.  more seems to be not always more - of course it depends on many factors, but judging from your history - though I don't know your age - there are many studies going on that offer less radiation, both in time and overall Gys.

    You might want to see if there is something available near you

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  • ChgoDeb
    ChgoDeb Member Posts: 31
    edited January 2014

    Thanks for the info......VERY helpful! I am 59 and have a similar diagnosis (only difference is mine was grade 1).  I can't agree more and also believe that less is better; both in time & dosage (I plan to pursue this).  The side effects really scare me especially since mine is on the left side.

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