rads on reconstructed breast with implants after mastectomy

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sarafg
sarafg Member Posts: 2
edited December 2019 in Breast Reconstruction

Hi everyone!

Last year I had an invasiv carcinoma on my breast (3 tumours) stage IIa and the doctors decided to perform a skin and nipple sparing total mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with implants. The treatment after was only hormonal therapy.

After a year it turns out that I have a local recurrence on the same breast (the reconstructed one).

They now plan to remove just the tumour and do radiotherapy on my already reconstructed breast. I wonder if someone else has been on the same situation as I am really worried rads will affect my previous reconstruction with implant.

If someone can help, thank you.

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  • redhead403
    redhead403 Member Posts: 125
    edited November 2019

    Hi Sarafg,

    I had bilateral mastectomies on 11/7/19. with nipple sparing, skin sparing immediate reconstruction with silicone implants. The margins were positive. I was told that I have to have whole breast radiation for 4 weeks and 1 week for boost.. The research that I have done indicates that there can side effects. Radiation therapy can cause scarring and hardening of the implant, leading to a less natural look. Mine is on the left so I am worried about damage to my heart. I spoke to my medical oncologist and he indicated that if I have the radiation, it will get rid of any dcis or what ever is in the margin. Sorry to hear of your reoccurence. I refused the radiation the first time I saw the radiation oncologist. Have another appt on 12/6. Good luck and will post how my radiation goes with implant.


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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2019

    sara - Two years after my BMX and reconstruction w/implants, I had a local recurrence. The BS was able to remove the diseased lymph nodes (ALND) w/o breaking the capsule of the implant. I subsequently had 25 rounds of radiation on the side of that breast and my underarm.

    No particular issues with the implant on that side- only that it rides a bit higher & tighter from the nerve/muscle/skin contractions caused by the radiation.

    I wasn't sure which thread to answer. It's best to keep to one if you can.

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  • Yuuki
    Yuuki Member Posts: 47
    edited December 2019

    So sorry this has happened to you. I also had a local recurrence, 16 years after my BMX with silicone implants. I had a lumpectomy and radiation, and for a year everything seemed fine. Then, over a period of several days, the radiated side hardened and migrated upward. After a bout of axillary cording I decided the implants had to go, and a PS I respect tremendously recommended I rebuild with autologous tissue. I am now post-DIEP reconstruction.

    My implant was quite old and already had intracapsular rupture before I started radiation, so hopefully your luck will be better than mine. Massage does help as soon as your skin settles down after radiation - try gently to keep the implant moving. Keep in mind that the radiation is important, and a good PS can put you back together again. Best of luck to you - recurrences are more complicated than first diagnoses, but you absolutely will get through it!

    Yuuki

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited December 2019

    I had radiation with silicone implants several years ago (all the dates are in my profile.) The radiated side is a tiny bit higher and a bit harder, but none of it is noticeable when dressed. No cording or significant other issues to report.

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited December 2019

    I had radiation on my pre-pec implants after BMX. The radiation caused some hardening due to capsular contracture but it wasn't very noticeable. I had the implants swapped (because they just did not look right, had nothing to do with rads) and the PS released the contracture at that time. Since then I have been massaging to keep it from contracting again. The skin is definitely less supple on that side, the nipple looks darker than the other side, and the implant is sitting higher on that side and looks smaller, which I'm told is because the skin is thinner due to radiation. I'm having fat grafting in a couple weeks and the PS will do some pocket work at that time to make them match a little better. The nipple on the rads side will permanently sit higher than the other side (unless I get it lifted: I won't) so there will still be some asymmetry, though it won't be noticeable unless I'm naked, and I hardly ever go naked in public so most people won't notice.

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  • akacurrie
    akacurrie Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2019

    First of all I want to be sure to disclose how very lucky I am to have a diagnosis of stage 1A!!! I have so much respect and I'm in awe of the women that have gone through or will have to endure a very serious diagnosis and undergo extensive surgery. You are amazing and my heart goes out to each and every one of you!!! I had breast implants for 30+ years at the time of my diagnosis. I elected a lumpectomy with radiation. I was not told that radiation could cause my implant to encapsulate, which it did six months after I finished radiation. I have Kaiser coverage and all they will do is remove both implants. My preference is to remove the be exact encapsulated implant and have fat transfer from my belly on just the radiated breast to bring symmetry to my breasts, but Kaiser refuses to do the surgery. Do women have any rights when a lumpectomy is preformed or is it only for those that have undergone a mastectomy? Thank you for your advise in advance

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