Radiation September 2018

I'm wondering if mine will start in September. My lumpectomy was 8/28 and my follow-up appointment with my surgeon is 9/11.

Hi All,

I'm likely starting radiation towards the end of September. I just had my exchange surgery 2 days ago, so waiting to heal up from that. I'm bracing myself for what radiation might do to my implants. My PS says there is a 70% chance of extracapsular contraction. I'm hoping that rads wouldn't be too bad. I just finished chemo 3 weeks ago and finally starting to feel a bit better. I also made an appointment for a second opinion for rads. Another cancer center here has proton therapy, so I'll see if that's a route I should take given that they are treating my left side WIshing all of us luck!

My radiation starts Sept 12th or 13th. Reluctantly at age 74, but I've been told it's necessary.

I'm less concerned about radiation than I am about starting aromatase inhibitors a few weeks after radiation treatments end (three weeks plus one day).

Based on a recent bone density test, my PCP prescribed 50K units of vitamin D. I don't understand it because the last time she prescribed it, I got very sick from the side effect. Aromatase inhibitors cause a loss of bone density, which leaves me between a rock and a hard place.

My Oncotype DX score is 11.

My very best wishes to all of you as we start this journey.

I have an appointment to discuss radiation this week at the cancer center with the doctor that heads up the center and the radiation department. I had my lumpectomy 8/9. Just wondering how much healing needs to take place prior to radiation starting. I saw the bs Friday and she drained a lot of old blood from my breast. It was really hard. No it feels a lot better but it still has some spots where it doesn’t feel normal. Thank you

Hey everyone, I will be starting radiation Sept 4th. I'm having 19 total treatments 15 regular and 4 boost.

Thank you I will keep in touch! It is nice to be on a group with other lumpectomy ladies! Still feel thankful for the lumpectomy. Wish the radiation wasn’t part of the deal. I just don’t want to get any side affects down the line. I lost my leg to cancer so I definitely wanted to try to keep my right breast. Funny it was my right leg that also had the cancer. Good luck to you all

Viewfinder ~ radiation boost is where the radiation is directly targeted to where the tumor was. With me I’ll have 15 treatments to my whole breast and then 4 treatments directly targeted to the spot where my tumor was.

Flag6818 ~ Thank you and good luck to you as well.

viewfinder ~ I’m not sure if everyone gets boost. My RO didn’t mention it to me he just told me I would be getting 19 treatments. I actually asked him what boost treatments were and if I would be getting any. He then explained what they were and that I would be getting 4. If they don’tmention it I would just ask them.

I was hoping to be starting this week but now it looks like it won't be until next week at the earliest. My simulation was last Tuesday so I'm still listed as in the "planning" stage. On my last appointment with the RO he sounded optimistic that I'd be able to do the accelerated schedule but now I'm starting to worry that with planning taking so long maybe that isn't an option. Hopefully I'm wrong and I'll be able to do 19-21 treatments.

flag6818 - Thanks. I'll definitely update asap. I'm a US citizen living in Canada right now but my treatment is in Michigan so I'll be living in our permanent home during treatment. Part of the reason I want this to go quickly is the whole living situation. Fingers crossed RO keeps that in mind. I made a point of mentioning it again at our last appointment.

My oncologist/surgeon and radiation oncologist want to schedule radiation as soon as I have a follow-up MRI. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node excision, I'm 62, hormone receptors positive, Her2 negative and Oncotype DX score 10 (7% chance of recurrence with hormone blocker). Fortunately I won't have to have chemo.

My radiation oncologist is suggesting full breast radiation for 20 treatment (I think 16 treatments and 4 boosts), other options are the full breast without the boost, 3D conformal external beam radiation (still researching). My surgeon/oncologist believes I'm a good candidate for partial breast radiation ... 2 treatment per day for 5 days which targets the radiation on the tumor site (high dosage each visit but less total than full breast).

How do you decide which is the best option? Has anyone with a low Oncotype score skipped radiation with the approval of their oncologists? I hate to admit the fear of making the wrong choice and long-term effects are creating anxiety. Anyone have any suggestions?

I start either the 17 or 24th (more likely the 24th).. I'm doing a trial and I'm getting almost 7 weeks -yuk.. but it's proton which I guess is good because it's over my left side and not clean margins etc. I ended up with shaped tex implants because I was told they do better with the radiation. fingers crossed

I had my CT Film Markings today. Part of the procedure was that the very sweet nurse told me she was about to put a band around both feet. I looked up in all seriousness with a straight face and said "That reminds me of Fifty Shades of Grey."

The poor thing had a startled look on her face, jumped back and pulled back her hands. I started laughing then said I was only kidding, that I haven't and would never read that book but that I had just watched the movie Book Club (one of the most delightful movies I've seen in a long time!).

We both had a good laugh together.

Gotta joke a lot as we walk this journey called cancer, right?!