Left & high lump rads: heart / lung issues?

Mine was high and around 1:00 on my left. I did my rads in the prone position, which according to my RO avoids heart exposure (and minimizes lung) for the majority of women. In some women though, the heart "falls forward" into the chest when they lay prone (mind didn't) in which case they would do something else. The technology these days (as opposed to 20 years ago) is good enough they can usually direct the beams in such a way that it doesn't really hit much other than the breast. He also said that it is almost impossible to avoid some amount of lung damage, but he said in the vast majority of women, it is not something they would ever notice - just might show up as an artifact on a chest x-ray in the future. For me, I (for unrelated reasons) had a full cardiac workup about 18 months after finishing rads, which revealed no problems of any kind. I am a runner, although not a fast one and I have never noticed any breathing issues.

This is of concern to me, too, as my tumor's around the 3 o'clock position on the very outer edge of the breast. I started a thread that the OP may want to look at - look for DIBH under radiation therapy.

I am getting the impression that DIBH is the treatment of choice for left-sided cancers but not all facilities have the necessary equipment. (This is presenting a major issue for me.)

The prone position works and achieves the same effect for many women but isn't suitable for all; breast size enters into it (bigger is better) and I'm not sure if they can treat all of the fields in the prone position.

Many of the books and other materials are older so I don't know how current any of this is but yes, I've read that rt for breast cancer can cause later fibrosis of the lung, cardiac issues and esophageal issues (depending on area treated), among others.

I'm compiling a LONG list of questions to which I want solid answers from my RO - not just vague generalities. I really think we ALL need to put ROs on notice that they can't just fob us off with non-answers anymore. Maybe if we push back on some of the issues they'll develop an interest in preventing more of the short and long-term damage.

Good luck to each of you!

allicat1214

I'm a lefty whose tumor was at2:00.I met with the RO yesterday and asked how my heart and lungs would be protected. He said on my first visit, they would do a CT scan of the area and feed the info into the computer 5 or 6 times before they mapped out the area to be targeted. Hope this helps! JOYUS

I'm still in Chemo and just had a second Echocardiogram yesterday. The technician worked directly on top of my lumpectomy scar (located at top of nipple going 4" horizontally toward the sternum) to image my heart while I was lying on my left side. When lying on my back, these old boobs fall into my armpits and there is maybe a half inch...mostly muscle wall...before you strike ribs. How can a Radiologist avoid my heart if not done in a prone position?

I have a large round patch of red rash on the back shoulder area. My RO said that the beam exits there, or it could be from the plates as they rotate or possibly scatter. WTH? I'm pretty sure I have a lung in the way. And if it exits there, it goes though as well. Big sigh 5 more, 5 more, 5 more.........