Has anyone who is going through the 15 treatments over 3 weeks actually asked their doctor agout the 5 day 'intense' treatment which is now available for breast cancer? I am wondering if there is a reason for not offering it or if it is just different hospital trusts offering it.
Hi Lesley63, my oncologist said as my cancer was caught so early , grade 1 and small I qualified for the 5 day treatment. I didn’t have chemo, just a lumpectomy and radio so I’m assuming that if your cancer is more advanced then maybe they’d prefer the 15 treatments to be sure.
That is interesting about the 5 day treatment, I am talking to my oncologist next week about my radiotherapy , I had a mastectomy and reconstruction before Christmas and have heard radiotherapy can destroy the implant, anyone had experience of this?
Would be interested in what he has to say regarding the 5 day and 15 day treatments. I am still classed as early stage but have some lymph node involvement so that might be a problem.
Hi Lesley, I had surgery 2 weeks ago which also included therapeutic mammoplasty as I'd already had surgery on the other breast 12 years ago.
I am due to go for radiotherapy and was told that it would be over 1 week. I was told this was partially due to Covid and reducing footfall in the hospital but is likely to become the norm going forward. My previous radiotherapy was over 3 weeks, several times a week.
I'm wondering if the intense treatment cause greater fatigue? I remember only too well how tired I was going through treatment last time. Hoping the intense treatment doesn't burn.
Hi Emie, I had my surgery about 10 days ago and have also been told I will need radiotherapy.
Mine was also lumpectomy with breast uplift to both. I had some DCIS but also invasive. Have my follow up on Thursday evening with possible results then too (on margins and if nodes were affected) so will be thinking of you. Hope we both get good results.
The waiting really is horrible isn't it. I haven't been too bad this time - no idea why, I guess i have been keeping busy and forcing myself not to think about it. I am sure I will start to get really anxious as it draws closer.
Good luck and hopefully next stop is radiotherapy.
I hope your results were good news. Fortunately mine was that they had got clear margins so just radiotherapy and no further surgery. Still quite swollen, hard and really sensitive, trying to prepare for the radiotherapy but I'm not able to massage the skin yet. I am anxious about the radiotherapy being an intensive 5 days as I had some burns last time and that was over 3 months. I have my oncology appointment on Thursday so I should know more then.
