Radiation on silicone implant?

Hi Dawn,
I wish I had an answer for you.
I just had my bilateral with tissue expanders for my re-diagnosis, so I don't know if they plan on radiating me before I have the exchange or not.
I do have a friend who had rads after implant and she was ok. But I don't know all the specifics.
So sorry you have to be "here" again. I know it really sucks.

Love,
g

Dawn,

I have saline implants and they are fine over a year after rads. Hope you do well!

g

I had cosmetic implants for about 7 years now. Then dx with bc, then lumpectomy and then rads. My implants are still in tact, and no damage from the rads. And you're not being nosey :-)

g

Hi Dawn,
I just finished 4 months of chemo (Andriomycin/Cytoxin & Taxol) on May 4th and just had a dbl mastect w/ silicone implants w/ Alloderm skin grafts 10 days ago. I start 7 weeks of radiation soon. My entire team work together for optimal results and this is what I have been told: conservative radiologist typically do not like to radiate around silicone as it is diffucult but not impossible. It just makes their job a little more difficult which is why the "mapping" portion before rad trmt is crucial. My plastic surgeon in Boston is phenom and I have been told that there will be skin shrinkage from the radiation which may cause the breast to "lift". If the end result is unacceptable to you, it will require additional surgery.

Hello Suz,

One year ago, I had bilat mastec with immediate reconstruction with expanders/alloderm grafts.  6 months later, the expanders were replaced with silicone implants - great results and they looked so real. Within a year of initial diagnosis, I had recurrence to left side and had to undergo recent radiation. Per advisement from surgical onc, rad onc, med onc and plastic surgeon, I had to remove my silicone implant prior to radiation to get the best treatment field.

Now I have a concaved left side and a great looking right side.My ps is going to evaluate me to determine if I can re-expand again instead of major surgery involving a lat flap. She said the expander/silicone implant would be smaller due to the damage to radiated skin and she would later match the right side. Plus she forewarned me the expander might fail- but I would have choices for other reconstruction.

I'll be thinking of you.

Cassie

I had radiation to silicone implants and had no problems.  I was pretty freaked as I had read some studies which state that radiation causes problems to implants but it turned out o.k.  My plastic surgeon, who has done many reconstructions, says that none of his patients who have needed radiation to their implants have had problems.  Interestingly, many of the later studies I read had found no problem with post-implant radiation.  Maybe there is some difference between the implant materials or the type of radiation between years ago and today?  It doesn't seem to make sense - but then again the outcome for me was fine so I'm not complaining!

I had a bilat mast / immediate reconstruction with implants and Alloderm.  I didn't expect to have rads but did...micro mets to 3 nodes and angiolymphatic invasion.  I had my 19th treatment today.  So far, so good.  I don't expect to have problems with the implant, it's the skin and tissue surrounding it that I'm worried about.  Everything seems to be holding up well for now ... 9 more to go.

oops...missed this one Dawn.  Sorry.

I was getting the bolus every other day during the regular treatments.  Now that I've moved on to boosts (#2 of 5 today), I get the bolus every day.  Skin continues to hold up pretty well.... hoping the reconstruction holds up too.  Almost done, right?