*** APRIL - AUGUST 2022 BREAST CANCER RADIOTHERAPY **

That's really interesting.  It sounds as though I'm in a very similar position to waht yours was. The oncologist did suggest that having raiotherapy would mean I can ditch the letrazole later.  I just wondered, if there are no nodes, whether the risk is tiny , even without RT and letrazole.  The consultant did cove rit in very general terms at out appointment but I would like some hard percentages before making the final decision.

Thanks very much for your comments. Very reassuring.

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has any issues with exit radiation site at the back. One of my muscles (I think latissimus dorsi) is really tender and am wondering if that is normal?  Initially I thought my shoulder blade was tender, but I now think its the muscle that is the problem. There is no redness of the skin there, it is just a sore muscle. I have had 15 sessions including chest wall and all levels of axillary lymph nodes. I am now about a week post treatment. I know my shoulder is expected to get stiff and I am following the exercise plan to limit this, but the pain in the muscle in my back has come as a surprise. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you all.

Hi

Radiotherapy can cause muscle stiffness. Unfortunately at one week post treatment you are not yet feeling the maximum effects of the treatment which usually peaks around two weeks after finishing.

My advice would be to take ibuprofen if you are able to take it and continue to do your exercises. If the pain doesn’t improve in two weeks time speak to your team as you may need some physiotherapy.

I hope you feel better soon

Thank you so much for your advice. I will keep on with the exercises. I am hoping that once I pass the 2 week mark after treatment, that it will all start to improve slowly but surely. I might try brufen if it gets too sore or stiff.

The practicalities of radiotherapy once your team have decided how many treatments you need (5-20 depending). First you need a planning CT for positioning and they make three little black marks on your skin - one of each side and one off centre to line you up each time. When you go for your treatment the first couple of sessions take longer as they take further images to make sure you are lined up well. Depending on how many radiotherapy sessions you have, you may need further routine imaging. The radiotherapy team were all lovely and very gentle.

On treatment days you lie down and put your arms above your head in comfortable padded arm supports. The team then move you very gently in to the right position - it seems strange that such small readjustments make such a difference, but they are really careful to get your body in to exactly the right position each time. That can take ten or fifteen minutes. The treatment itself is only 5 minutes and you do not feel anything at the time it is happening.

It is helpful to moisturise your skin front, arm pit (if you need nodes treating) and your back (exit radiation) a day or two before you start and keep going until 2-4 weeks after treatment - I used aveeno, but you could use any other unscented moisturiser. I used an unscented moisturising soap substitute called cetaphil in the shower too, but there are others you could pick. It really helps with any dryness/itching as a result of the treatment.

Also there are exercises to stretch you shoulder if you are having treatment to your armpit. I used the youtube video from the videos at Christie's hospital in Manchester. Its just aimed at stretching the muscles around your shoulder 3 times a day to help with the inflammation and stiffness from the treatment. It has been working really well for me. As the shoulder can get stiff for some time afterwards, I imagine myself stretching my shoulder out regularly over the coming months.

The side effects peak at 2 weeks and thereafter improve. Some people feel very tired with their treatment and take 6 weeks or so to feel back to their normal selves.

I am a nurse myself and I had 15 cycles of radiotherapy and 4 booster .last year in September/ October for grade 1 cancer. The RT treatment went well, I had redness and swelling and that has taken till to getter better. 

I am now getting support for lymphoedema which I have been told is a late side effect of the RT. 

Overly  my was positive. 
I went back to January and am doing ok. 

Good luck with treatment Franquette 

there is light at the end of the tunnel x 

I also used the videos from the Christie’s in Manchester as I was getting my treatment at the Christie’s. I found them very useful.

moisturising definitely helps. 

I am getting an ache all the way down my arm on the treated axilla side. Is that how your lymphoedema felt in the beginning? 

Hi, mine started with a burning sensation  and pain in the treated breast and shoulder  followed by swelling. 

I had pain running down my arm at the very beginning of RT and the GP gave me gabapentin for it eh I made it loads better. 

All the best 

Thank you for replying - I couldn't decide if it was nerve pain, early lymphoedema or something else. Maybe gabapentin will work if it is a nerve pain. I do have wierd tingling in my thumb, second and third finger so suspect the nerves in my armpit were affected by the radiotherapy.