Brachytherapy or partial radiation?

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ceanna
ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
edited March 2015 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

After lumpectomy for IDC, 1cm, 4 negative lymph nodes removed, and clear margins, I am going to begin radiation therapy on Jan. 12.  I am given the option of brachytherapy or partial radiation for twice-a-day, 5 day radiation treatment instead of full radiation therapy for 4-5 weeks.  What has been your experience with brachytherapy and would you do it again?  I have the complication of a fluid-filled seroma where they removed the lymph nodes, but RO said that would not be a problem. 

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  • Manu14
    Manu14 Member Posts: 153
    edited January 2015

    My profile is very much like yours. I would do brachytherapy again even though I had more discomfort during the 8 days I had the device in than I thought I would. It seemed like a long week but I was glad to have it over with. The actual radiation sessions were totally painless. It was the changing of dressings and trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in that made it a challenge. So yes, I think it was worth it - I would just be more informed and realistic sevond time around

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited January 2015

    I was offered brachytherapy but chose full breast radiation instead. While insurance companies do pay for it, brachytherapy is still considered experimental. Furthermore, a year ago, a new study indicated that a significant number of patients who did lumpectomy and brachytherapy ultimately required mastectomy. While quite a few sisters here have had brachytherapy and had a positive outcome, I would do due diligence before deciding. Good luck.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited January 2015

    http://journals.lww.com/oncotimesuk/Fulltext/2012/...


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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited January 2015

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21...


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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2015

    Hi , welcome to BC.org!

    Besides the helpful advice from members here, you may want to read through the section Internal Radiation in our main site, where you'll learn more on the benefits and drawbacks of brachytherapy and some unknowns involved that should be discussed with your doctor in order to help you make your best treatment decisions.

    We hope this helps!

    The Mods

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  • hersheypassion
    hersheypassion Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2015
    I was going to do Brachytherapy but was told my cavity was too close to my skin and the radiation would burn a hole, and I'd have trouble healing, so I will have external radiation starting next week. One thing I was told is that there are no longitudinal studies on this therapy, only 5 year studies which does say the outcome is the same as external radiation. Do you plan to do hormone therapy also?
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  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
    edited January 2015

    Update.  Thanks for your insights.  After further discussion with the RO and surgeon, I went ahead with the catheter insertion.  It has 7 tentacles placed in the wound and will deliver twice-a-day radiation for five days.  Yes, it is a little uncomfortable and it took the last two nights to find a comfortable position to sleep, but I look forward to being done with treatment in five days instead of a month.  Only time will tell if partial or full radiation was the correct choice.

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  • Manu14
    Manu14 Member Posts: 153
    edited January 2015

    Good luck Ceanna. I bet you will do just fine with the internal radiation and be glad to have it in the past. Don't second-guess your choice of radiation.

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  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
    edited January 2015

    Hi All,

    Just wanted to report that I have completed the partial breast internal radiation and the Savi device was removed yesterday.  All seemed to go well and I was glad to be done with treatment in 5 days with no evident problems.  The device was a little uncomfortable and I was not able to sleep on the side I normally do.  I found that using a handheld shower to wash my hair and my lower half worked well.  You absolutely cannot get the device wet so I wore a binder and clothes on the top half of body while quickly showering the lower half.  What a relief to be done with radiation with no visible side effects.  Now on to considering estrogen blockers!!  Best wishes to all considering or having partial breast radiation. 

    Any people on the forum that had partial breast radiation done years/months ago??  How are you doing now? Any follow up recommendations?  How did your wound from the device heal?  They did not stitch or glue mine shut and I wonder about how fast it will heal.

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited January 2015

    Thanks for the follow up info, Ceanna. It must be great to be done so quickly! Please keep us posted.

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  • Manu14
    Manu14 Member Posts: 153
    edited January 2015

    Ceanna - So glad you successfully got through the week of radiation. I remember well how happy I was to get the Savi device out because it was so uncomfortable. It took my wound about 2 weeks to fully close I'm not the fastest wound healer. I kept a gauze pad over it for a few weeks so that my clothing wouldn't irritate the area. Hope all goes smoothly for you

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  • Ladyhop
    Ladyhop Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2015

    So glad to see info from others on brachytherapy. I had my first treatment today and it was painless except while they were attaching the radiation tubes to the machine. I'm in an unusual amount of pain from the Savi and any movement is painful. I felt a few prickly or pin prick type of sensations during the treatment but my real concern is the redness, swelling, and warmth that I'm experiencing afterwards. Is this normal? I'm so concerned about infection.

    Mary

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  • Manu14
    Manu14 Member Posts: 153
    edited March 2015

    Ladyhop - Since the radiologist is seeing you twice a day for treatments, I think she/he will be able to judge if the area is actually developing an infection versus some annoying irritation. I assume they put you on prophylactic antibiotics before starting radiation. That seems to be standard treatment when getting brachytherapy.

    I remember how really tender it felt each time the tubes were attached. The slightest movement seemed to set off pain. Fortunately, it was short-lived and the actual radiation treatment was fine. I know you'll be so glad when the week of radiation is finished.

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  • Ladyhop
    Ladyhop Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2015

    Thank you Manu14. I saw your response in my other post. I feel a better knowing that the discomfort isn't completely unusual. Unfortunately the pain, swelling and redness were. I'm on antibiotics now and a little less anxiety stricken. Hoping I can stick with it.

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