radiation on larger folks

I'm fairly large. I had lost weight the year I had cancer (because I had a bonus other, unrelated cancer), but started gaining it back during radiation. Part of the routine was a weigh-in every week, and they told me they'd only make adjustments if I lost weight, not gained. I was originally told I'd have the short course, but it got changed post-surgery, after the set-up, to 33 sessions, partly because I had a micro-met in the sentinal node.

Hi! Larger person here (5'4", 215lbs, 48G bra - also very saggy breasts due to age) - today was my last radiation day! 33 treatments with 8 boosts - covered axial and clavical lymph nodes because I had micromets in the sentinel lymph node plus slight lymph-vascular invastion.

I got really dark plus red like a bad sunburn plus a rash on my chest (where they did the clavical lymph nodes - the RO said for some reason the chest area reacts more like that). The worst part was itching form the rash but over the counter 1% hydrocortisone ointment took care of that. The rad techs today said I did way way better than average for skin reaction.

One thing I did was wear a cotton stretchy bra and also use cotton gauze between my boobs. When at home or at night I'd slather on the aquaphor then put on a t-shirt and a loose stretchy bra over that to keep cotton under my boobs - avoid skin to skin contact. The RO warned me at the beginning the underboob was where he expected more reaction and was pleasantly surprised I had so little.

I had bought a couple cotton front opening bras as advised but I didn't like them - they didn't actually separate my boobs, the front hooks were awkward - so I ended up using the stretchy 95% cotton bras - I got them in size 50 DDFG and in 52 DDFG and would wear two of them for more support - and put cotton gauze between my boobs. It was a uniboob look but in winter I can wear thicker clothes so it didn't matter. This is the one I bought https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PTYD8DV/?pldnSite=1

Also bought the large 18 oz bottle of fruit of the earth aloe vera and am on my second tub of aquphor. 1% hydrocortisone cream did the trick for itchiness. Also shower so that water is not too hot and only falls lightly on the boob in question and pat dry rather than rub.

I'm also fair-skinned (Irish/German ancestry) burn easily and even have slight dermatographia (thats where you get a raised welt on your skin when its under pressure - its an immune system thing that goes away in a bit). All of which made me worry I'd have worse skin reaction but the rad techs were saying today (my last treatment) that I did way better than usual. I think they didn't want to jinx it by saying it earlier. I would say I breezed through it the first 4 weeks only the last 2 were harder (but certainly not intolerable)

Hi

I had surgical complications - a very large hematoma/seroma and I had to go back to the operating room for them to clean it out about 3 weeks after my initial surgery. So the RO then waited another 6 weeks I think - which was actually partly to skip Christmas week. I first saw the RO 3 weeks after my 2nd surgery after I got the oncotype score which said I didn't need chemo and then he had me come back a couple of weeks later to check on healing then we scheduled my radiation starting Dec 30. The second surgery was Nov 14. 33 treatments is 6 1/2 weeks - I was lucky to have a radiation center close by - the surgery was in Seattle so I had to fly there (twice). The local radiation center has only been here 6 years - we are a relatively small town but a rural hub for other smaller towns.

The whole breast radiation was recommended from the start (before surgery) because the biopsy said my tumor was "micropapillary" - which means the cells were not well differentiated and had a higher risk of lymph node involvement and lymphovascular invasion. As turned out to be the case with the biopsy after surgery. So I think the number of treatments and the number of boosts was because of treating the whole breast plus both axial and clavical lymph nodes. Micropapillary is about 6% of breast cancers. I did luck out that my oncotype score was really low so no chemo.

The bras I listed don't really have cups so the DD/F/G is nominal. I've actually been wearing them for years for leisure bras starting when I lived in Oklahoma and got heat rash under my boobs - plus the racer back style really takes a load off my shoulders.

I didn't really have any problems with radiation. I was very uncomfortable stretched out the first few weeks because I was still recovering from the unrelated surgery. I got a little pink in the nipple area, which is close to where the incision is, and a bit red on the clavicle. I used pure aloe and Aquaphor, nothing else. I'm retired so I don't have to worry about dressing nicely, so I bought some men's sleeveless undershirts and wore them UNDER my old stretchy bra, so I didn't have to think about stains from the greasy Aquaphor or the markers they use for line-up spots (some places do tattoos).

Hi Ageopolis:

Similar bust size and larger person, as well. I went for six weeks of whole breast rads in prone position at NYU following lumpectomy. Breast size did not seem to be a hindrance in any particular or negative way. Was given calendula lotion by the hospital, but by week 3, my Irish skin was very red. I used aquaphor as directed by the hospital and it helped enormously. My skin eventually peeled like with a sunburn. I used an all cotton bra with hooks in front. I believe I purchased at Bare Necessities. When my skin got red, I placed large cotton gauze pads between my skin and bra. Staff was lovely and never treated me oddly or poorly because of body or breast size. I was super tired by third week - and just hopped into bed to rest afterwards / while I was off from work. I hope that helps, and eases your mind a bit if you go in this direction. Ps - age is late 50’s

Love, Belle xxoo

reporting from the rad 2020 forum\

"I finished radiation last friday - The one thing I didn't understand was why one spot on my clavicle (I am getting clavicle radiation) was getting so red - the Rad Tech I had a skin fold - I wouldn't have ;t see it - until I was drying my hair and then I saw when I raised my arm there was a skin fold! Also when I sleep on my side I put a pillow under my arm and have it raised near my head (done that previous to cancer because of carpal tunnel syndrome)

So anyway - what they say about skin-to-skin contact needs to be avoided is true! Just didn't realize where it was happening.

Also am big boobed -can avoid have avoided skin to skin contact underboob (which my RO warned me about) by wearing a camisole but by slavering n the aquaphor and wearing tee-shits with a loose old stretchy over them - and even stuffing cotton gauze between boobs - fortunately live in win climate where I can wear thick clothes"\

Not wearing a bra is not for large folks us! I used to live in OKlahoma and got heat rashes underboob. First tries at solution were baby powder then panty liners under my bra. For cancer they say only use pure corn starch powder. The panty linders under the bra wer pretty good.

The clavicle redness is no worse than a bad sunburn - I was just puzzled why that one spot got red when the rest around it didn't - for a while I was worried I was accidentally getting double exposed in that area! When they explained it was due to skin folding in the area I didn't understand until I was drying my hair one with my arm raised and saw the skin fold. Then light dawned that I was also sleeping on my side at night with my arm raised near my head on a pillow (otherwise I get numbness in the fingers on that arm which is due to carpal tunnel not due to cancer or surgery).

It is now one week after end of radiation and I am peeling a little underboob - but its just new tender skin under the peeling - so I am applying neosporin (store brand equivalent which is called triple antibiotic ointment) to that spot instead of aquaphor - essentially the same stuff but with more antibiotics and adding an anti-stick pad over it that my RO gave me. I have another appointment March 9 with the RO to check on my skin. I am just keeping up with the routine of aquaphor slathered on and avoiding skin-to-skin contact using the cotton gauze between my boobs. Its less painfull than bad sunburns I've gotten in the past - although the skin turns a disturbing gray color after it tans but that's normal I guess.

The RO and the rad techs all said I did much better than normal for skin reactions - so it just goes to show that large big-boobed people aren't necessarily going to do worse. And I was diligent from the start about moisturizings, wearing a tee-shirt with stretchy bra at night and etc to avoid skiin-skin contact. Not wearing a bra or using a camisole was not an option for me!

Also the the current cotton stretchy bra arrangement is so comfortable it will be hard to go back! Right now in winter I can wear thicker sweaters etc so the uniboob look is working.

Also in case you are a Doctor Who fan:

Also - I asked my RO and he said about 30% of his patients get the clavicle nodes radiated. I only had 1 lymph node removed for the sentinel lymph node biopsy and that plus radiation puts me at only slight risk of lymphodema (accorring to the all 3 doctors). I have some edema in my breast but its because of getting a hematoma/seroma after surgery and it hasn't gotten any worse. The hematoma and scar tissue blocked the lymph paths they would normally have taken. The result is some skin thickening and large skin pores - but the radiation hasn't made it worse and the only issue is cosmetic. But my boobs would also look better if I was 40 years younger so it doesn't bother me.

My lumpectomy breast only had one small bit of swelling post-surgery because I wore zip-front sports bras 24/7 after I was allowed to take the really constrictive surgical bra off. The sports bras have slits at the outside of the cups which are perfect for inserting ice discs. I would also pack the incision area with a soft folded child's sock to keep pressure on the incision, and at night, I'd insert another sock, rolled this time, in my cleavage so gravity wouldn't disturb the breast nest. My surgeon was surprised how little bruising or swelling I had.

As for the clavicle redness, it's also because of that area being less fatty. I only had rads to the clavicle because of a micro-met in my sentinal node, which was the only one tested. If your nodes are clear, I don't know if they'll zap the clavicle area.

I know. The stuff I had was left over from rads last year. I managed to snag a bottle of alcohol and used the gel to make sanitizer. If you can find an aloe plant in a nursery just cut the leaves open, scoop out the stuff, use that. I have aloe in my yard, will use that when I run out of my stash

Spookiesmom

Thanks