Can you radiate twice in the same spot?

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pabbie
pabbie Member Posts: 370
edited June 2017 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Thanks.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2017

    Unlikely. Sorry I have no more details than an impression of all the things I've read.

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited June 2017

    In general, no, but there are situations where it may be feasible to radiate the same breast twice, per my surgeon. I'd say it's definitely worth discussing. What's the worst that can happen, right?

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited June 2017

    Definitely not standard of care. Rads gives you the lifetime maximum radiation dose to the area, which is why they want you to limit sun exposure there forever. There may be exceptions but I keep hearing they don't repeat rads.

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  • pabbie
    pabbie Member Posts: 370
    edited June 2017

    Thank you all.

    I had a lumpectomy and radiation in 2008 for BC., then a right breast mastectomy in 2014. Another recurrence last month. The tumor and surrounding little dots were removed in surgery and now I have clear margins. But both my onc and surgeon referred me to a radiation oncologist. I too, think you can't radiate twice. But I booked the appointment.

    I'm having surgery to prophalactically (sp) remove my left breast on July 7. This has been my may goal of 2017., not to go thru another hot summer with a rashy, sweaty, "good" boob. I was seeing my ps for a breast reduction/lift when we found the recurrence. So, that wasn't meant to be., removing the breast.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2017

    It's good to get confirmation even if they say no to rads. At least you won't wonder whether that was an option or not.

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  • pabbie
    pabbie Member Posts: 370
    edited June 2017

    I agree.

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  • MichelleMME
    MichelleMME Member Posts: 7
    edited June 2017

    Yes, in some unusual circumstances they will, like with me. Had radiation to both breasts post lumpectomies in 2013. Was diagnosed with an advanced reoccurrence in August last year on the right, did chemo then radical mastectomy in March. However, surgeon couldn't get clean margins in the skin. So my only option to try and kill the cancer left in the skin is to radiate that area again. I am definitely not ok with this especially since it means that reconstruction is highly unlikely in the future but there aren't really any other options for killing the left behind cells (surgeon confirmed she removed as much skin as possible with still being able to close the wound on my chest).

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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited June 2017

    definitely keep the appointment and see what they say. I'd definitely ask what the risks are if radiating a second time. And risks of not radiating. My case is different from most on this site-I had radiation from neck to hips for hodgkins lymphoma roughly 30 years ago. Diagnosed with breast cancer in January this year and RO stated absolutely no more radiation to the chest. Lumpectomy was therefore out of the question 100% and MX was scheduled

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