I have to decide on the radiation thing

I have to agree 100% with ChiSandy, she makes some very valid points.

I would ask your RO about having radiation in the prone position. That does make a big difference and helps to keep the heart clear of the radiation.

Since you had IDC, ovarian cancer, and now DCIS, I would do everything in my power to prevent any more cancer from forming. But, that's just me.

This is such a hard "journey" (for lack of a better word), to navigate. So much of this a crap shoot! We do what we feel is best with the info that we have and move forward. It's tough to make decisions with such limited info.
The bottom line....get as much info as you possibly can, get a second opinion if you feel it will help, and then make your decision. I'm sure that helped, right? LOL! Sorry....like I said, knowing what to do is tough!

When I met my RO, I specifically asked him about heart, lung damage. He said they got a new machine, could stop the beams from going there. Asked about scatter. He said none to worry about. He was an MD, and a PhD.

3 years later, I'm showing some heart damage from the red devil, lungs ok.

Ask LOTS of questions!!!

Bolus (a pad) is/can be used to limit the penetration depth of the radiation. One of the areas done on me a bolus was used then was removed before the machine moved to the other areas done.

I was 63 when DXd - 69 now. I had not heart/lung issues before Chemo and/or rads - still have none. Still NED (No Evidence of Disease) with IBC.

I had radiation on my left side, and the facility I went to used the active breathing technique to help protect my heart. From the website:

When Active Breathing Coordinator is used during radiation therapy, the patient takes a deep breath before the beam of radiation is delivered. This deep breath increases the distance between the area receiving radiation (the breast tissue or chest wall on the patient's left side) and the heart. Increasing this distance means there is less risk the heart will receive any incidental radiation during treatment and, therefore, there is less risk of the patient developing radiation-induced heart disease.

More information is available at the following link:

http://www.swedish.org/services/cancer-institute/o...

Hi. I just happened on this place by accident, so I shall put in my two cents worth, uninvited.

When I had my surgery, BMX, and lab work done, my number was considered low and so chemo was not advised. However, they did recommend AIs and rads. Rads doc did not have a significant difference in recurrence score (I think maybe 7 points), but said that he strongly recommended that I take it. My gut feeling was not to have radiation, that it was a danger. I followed my gut feeling and told him "No, Thank you." Glad I did. Life is full of so many other concerns - - I do not need to add rads damage to them.

My gut feeling was also to not take the AI. but I took it anyway. I should have listened. 5 weeks into it I had all kinds of things go wrong. It has taken several years to repair the damage. Thankfully, I am better now.

So, my advice is "Follow your gut."

gentian, sorry you had poor outcome. Different people, different "guts", I guess.

I guess it almost comes down to a flip of the quarter, isn't it?

There are no guarantees.

Has anyone had internal radiation? I have that as an option although I must travel to another county and stay with my son and DIL for 5 days. It's given twice a day for 5 days then I'm done.

I didn't learn about radiation during surgery, Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), until my surgery was being scheduled and it is not yet offered in my county. If I had known about it prior to surgery I would have traveled to the other county had had surgery and radiation completed at the same time. So now I"m left with a choice of the 6 week radiation, or 3+ week radiation, both in my county, or moving in with my kids and doing it all in 5 days.

I would love to hear experiences of others who have the various types of radiation.

Thanks all!

Neen, Shirley from Texas (aka waterstreet) had the brachytherapy (5 days of twice-daily insertion of radioactive material into implanted catheters, which were then removed). She had some trouble with seromas & infection. Some women breeze through it. It is a PITA, because each day 6 hrs. must pass between treatments--which means either driving up & back twice or hanging around the hospital all day. (Hard to go shopping or out to lunch because the catheters can be quite uncomfortable). Because of the types of complications Shirley experienced, many ROs have stopped offering it. I had instead 16 daily extra-strength treatments to only the tumor cavity and a small surrounding area. Minimized the side effects: no fatigue, irritation or broken skin; it did enlarge my cavity seroma, painlessly redden and eventually tan the skin, and cause some mild fine flaking (like dandruff). No biggie. Wore my underwires throughout.

mine came back after mastectomy. All it takes is a cell left behind to grow into a new tumor, even though there are no ducts

Hi Neen56!

I had brachytherapy with a Mammosite catheter. Between the spacer catheter placed during my surgery, the simulation, the replacement of the spacer with the actual Mammosite catheter, a weekend and a holiday, I believe I had the end of the catheter sticking our for something around 14 days before it was removed for good.

And I didn't have drains, so I can't really compare the catheter to JP drains. At any rate, my experience was a good one. My surgeon ordered prophylactic antibiotics during the entire period. I had to redress the catheter/wound myself on weekends/holidays. Otherwise, the nurses redressed it for me when I was seen.

Only problem I recall was a mechanical sensitivity to tape developing over the course of treatment. Placing/removing tape twice a day during treatment days was a bit hard on my skin. But my radiology nurses changed the dressing style to a "tapeless" dressing, using the breast binder that my surgeon had me wearing.

All in all, I was pleased to be done with the radiation with only five treatment days. And to only be radiating the tumor cavity. Since I was working at the time, I simply went in before and after work. Really not a scheduling problem at all.

HTH,

LisaAlissa

ChiSandy, your response was very helpful. I have decided to do 16 radiation treatments. I am so relieved to hear your experience with it. Did you exercise during radiation? I worry about fatigue and glad to hear that wasn't a problem for you.