TNBC Chemo + Radiation?

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angelwings2007
angelwings2007 Member Posts: 1
edited May 2017 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Good Morning,

I have TNBC. My surgeon did a lumpectomy. From the time of biopsy to surgery, the tumor doubled in size and they removed 2 affected lymph nodes. As per my surgeon, "the biopsy MARGINS ARE CLEAN and I wont need radiation but absolutely Chemo!"

the cancer is being treated as stage III. On the other hand.... now that I'm undergoing chemo with my oncologist, she's saying I need radiation??? my question to her was "if my margins are clear and the chemo is to "KILL" any additional cancer cells then what is there to radiate?" the oncologist proceeded to give me statistics.

Has anyone not done the radiation? with one Dr. excited about my margins and the other saying OH yes you need radiation.. I feel like I've just been thrown into the oncology treatment pool and wondering do I really need radiation? It's not the treatment its self that bothers me. I can live with the way the breasts look now, but with the disfiguring your left with after radiation then going through another surgery for reconstruction is not what i want to do! I kind of feel the treatment is over kill in this scenario!

Granted there's no guarantee of reoccurrence and its all about life.... but SO DONE with this whole thing!

What do you think?

Angel

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Comments

  • Paisleyskies
    Paisleyskies Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2017

    I think the decision is super personal and that there is no wrong answer. Personally, I sleep better at night knowing that I am doing every single thing I can to prevent a recurrence and to be around as long as I can for my 2 year old and family. Being that there is no targeted therapy for TNBC, radiation can kill any microscopic cancer cells that could have been left behind, lessening your chance for a local recurrence. I am also Stage 3, I had 16 rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy, 15 nodes removed, radiation, and now in the midst of 6 months more chemo. I just need to know that I am doing everything I can so I have no regrets. Again, there is no wrong decision. Do what is best for you! Hugs.

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  • TulipsAndDaffodils
    TulipsAndDaffodils Member Posts: 80
    edited April 2017

    Good luck Angel. I admit, I'm confused a little. I've always been under the impression that you always get radiation with a lumpectomy (but not necessarily with a mastectomy). I thought it was close to a packaged deal, and if you want to avoid rads, go with mastectomy. I'm not surprised to hear your oncologist suggest it. You may want to go with a second opinion on this one.

    Separately, I may not be reading your message correctly, but it seems you think that radiation leaves you disfigured. I don't think this is typically true. There is zero visual evidence that I had radiation. I had a lumpectomy and then 33 rounds of rads. I had redness towards the end of rads, but it went completely away. The skin feels identical to all my other skin. There is no discoloration or anything. Plus, my surgeon hid the scar line along the edge of the aerola, and you can't see it. So it doesn't look like I ever had any breast cancer treatment at all. The only thing is that the nipple on the radiated breast is a teensy tiny bit lighter in color, but it's so faint no one else would notice. They both feel fine, no one would know which breast had the cancer. So don't necessarily worry about disfigurement!!

    Good luck with your decision!

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  • Yvette66
    Yvette66 Member Posts: 17
    edited May 2017

    Hi Angelwings:

    I had chemo, lumpectomy and radiation. I felt the same as you about radiation but when it comes down to it there is no data showing outcome of those of us with pCR choosing not to do rads. It just has not been looked at and therefore the data does not exist. My husband is a physician and he had all the same questions and concerns but at the end of the day we opted to go with the only studied treatment plan which of course included rads.

    I felt just like you and wanted it all to be over. I was so tired of doctors, nurses, hospitals, tests, waiting... Radiation was more of a time annoyance than anything else. When you have to go daily it tends to get old very quickly. That being said, it was probably the easiest part of treatment.

    Good luck with your decision and treatment.

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