Use of Bolus during therapy

MotherofFour · July 2015

Hi-- I just started rads this week and they are putting a brass "bolus" on me every time. This is new. . .in the past they've used a gel pack. They said it was so the radiation would stay on my skin for longer. . .gives it a boost. I am being treated for preventative against the chest wall. . .I had high grade DCIS and though my margins were clear. . .it was a 'microscopic' margin.. .only .22 mm. So I am wondering why I need this extra boost to my skin esp since I had a mastectomy and need reconstruction and the margin they were worried about was posterior, not against my skin.

I am asking my doctor on Tuesday when I see him, but does anyone have any insight into this? I posted on the summer rads group and it seems not everyone gets a bolus.

Jennie93 · July 2015

I got a "bolus" used every time but it felt soft and cold, like a gel pack, like you said. I've never heard of using a metal one. Interesting. They told me the reason for it was to concentrate the radiation in the skin, because my tumor was growing into the skin. Maybe I misunderstood but I thought that's what they said. It seemed weird because I had a MX and they got nice big margins on everything.

If it helps any, it doesn't seem that having the bolus thing changes the SEs any. My skin did really well up to the last week, and even then, the part that got bad was not the place the bolus was over.

Use of Bolus during therapy

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