Radiation therapy and regular tattoos (not the tiny marks)

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Vlcatko
Vlcatko Member Posts: 2
edited April 2015 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hello everyone,

I tried searching the forums for a thread like this but I didn't find anything like it. If you know a thread where it was already discussed, feel free to post a link. Otherwise, let's talk about it in here!

So, I did neoadjuvant chemotherapy, lumpectomy and lymph nodes removal, started Tamoxifen and today was my first appointment about radiotherapy. If I got it right, they are going to do the whole shebang on me - the affected breast, armpit and supraclavicular area (no idea if this is the correct term - English is not my first language - it's the area above breast towards the shoulders). I have read a lot of materials about every stage of my treatments but never have I encountered a mention of treatment of patients with actual tattoos in the areas treated with the radiation. So I was really surprised when the doctor asked me about my tattoo on the right shoulder blade and commented that "yeah, we are going to fry it a little bit but you are going to endure it just fine, I know it." I know that during the course of the treatment with radiation, some skin changes are almost inevitable. That some people get really bad "burns" and some just itch for a while... And I will deal with whatever happens to me as best as I will be able to. But I would really appreciate if somebody could share their experience if they received radiation to a tattooed area.

Is it really worse when you have a tattoo? Or do the side effects occur faster? Can you actually feel it during the treatment as opposed to the fact that you are supposed to feel nothing? Can/will it damage my tattoo?

I know I can ask my doctors and therapists, and I definitely will, but in the meantime (the simulations etc. will be next week) and for the future reference for someone like me - can you please help? ;)

Thank you <3

P.S.: I will update this once I get my official answers and once I have my own experience :)

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  • Meadow
    Meadow Member Posts: 2,007
    edited April 2015

    Vic, I do not knowthe answer to your questions, as I do not have any tattoos, but I am curious as to what others say, and what you learn in your own rads experience. Hopefully others will respond soon. Good luck with your rads, stay ahead of the burns, apply whatever your Radiologist recommends for you to use right after, when dressing back in your clothes.They do not want you using anything before treatment, as I am sure they have already said. Best wishes to you of course.

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  • chef127
    chef127 Member Posts: 891
    edited April 2015

    hi Vicatko,

    Sorry I don't have a good answer for you.

    Will the radiation beam hit the tat directly? Would covering it help? Ask your RO.

    I have a band tat on my arm and when I expose it to the sun the dark green outline blisters and flakes off. The radiation is not the same as a sunburn but maybe the skin will react the same?????? My radiated skin was pink but never broke down. I had my lumpectomy scar tattooed which was radiated and the boosts, (extra radiation to the tumor bed and scar area) and it took nicely. Love it.

    I hope you manage to protect your tattoo.

    xox Maureen

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  • Vlcatko
    Vlcatko Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2015

    Meadow - thanks for the encouragement and advice :) Yeah - no lotions before the treatment was one of the first things they told me...

    Maureen - thanks, I hope as well ;) I bet that tattoo of yours is awesome! The radiation beam will hit me from the front (above right breast) and exit exactly at the site of the tattoo (right shoulder blade). I am pale as milk and have never taken sun exposure well so I don't have much hope for only a mild reaction; but as you said radiation isn't exactly the same as getting sun-burned so we will see :)

    UPDATE after the simulation and 2nd consultation:

    I spoke to a new doctor, this one should be the one that will see me every week during the treatment. I asked her about the comment of the other doctor (frying the tattoo). She said she simply doesn't know and that maybe the other doctor just meant that the area of the tattoo will probably be affected by the side effects and not implying the tattoo will make it worse. But she couldn't say it wouldn't. So I guess we will have to see... Next update will probably be after my first week. I don't know when that will be, I still have to go in next Tuesday for more "bodypainting" and I am supposed to get the first date sometime after that...

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