Radiotherapy stopped

1. Hello and I certainly understand that this news was not what you wanted to hear.  I just finished radiation a few months ago and I remember the first week the radiation oncologist checked everyday after my treatment to make sure the radiation was being given in the right area.  Just want to reassure you that this is the right thing to do as it must be correct.  It really is hard when these hiccups happen during treatment as you just want to complete treatment.  You will get there and I know what you mean about being stressed.  Rooting for you.  
   Hopeful Barb

I had 5 days of compressed whole breast rads and 5 days boost to the tumour area. When my boost was due to start, they weren't happy with the measurements that had come through. I didn't need another scan, but I did need to wait while they sent off to the oncologist and got the correct measurements sent through. I think these things can happen sometimes. They can't see anything, only how the laser lines p with the dots on your skin, so try now to worry about it. They are doing their job properly and making sure you have the best and correct treatment.

Hi

i was a radiotherapy radiographer so maybe I can put your mind at rest.

Your position will have been checked every day and verified with imaging. Sometimes the radiotherapy can cause your breast to swell and change shape and therefore your marks won’t line up. Radiotherapy radiographers are notoriously picky and whilst they can make certain adjustments if they are unhappy they cannot and will not switch on the machine.

In this instance the usual procedure is to rescan you so that your radiotherapy can be replanned to your new shape. These new settings will be used going forward and hopefully you won’t have any more set up issues and everything will go smoothly.

This is a common occurrence and it absolutely doesn’t mean they have seen anything untoward.

Please don’t worry 

Take care x

Thank you so much this is what I needed to hear!!! I did speak with bc nurse earlier who tried to reassure me but admitted she wasn't an expert on radiology techniques but had checked my notes and there was nothing untoward.

I'm glad their being so precise and want it to be right. Nurse says this doesn't happen often but that it isn't unusual. It's just after four operations,  chemo various infections you think radiotherapy is going to be a breeze. 

Because I eventually ended up with a mastectomy there's very little to check and the whole area feels different and sometimes tight so it's hard to know if there is a problem. But I didn't notice any swelling or redness. Fingers crossed Thursday goes to plan.

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Well wishes to all. Xxx

You are very welcome 

The changes to your shape are sometimes subtle but enough to throw things out of kilter.

The delay in restarting treatment is to allow your new plan to go through the mandatory checking process.

It’s a pain but it’s better to get it perfect.

Hope all goes well going forward x

Hi 

I know I asked you previously if anything would get flagged to the oncologist after a planning scan but just wondered how much these planning scans do- of your body. Is it just literally as far as breast and collar bone or do you scan lungs etc. sorry for all the questions- the fact that I’m high risk and that we don’t get any ongoing body scan s just horrifies me and I’m kind of hoping that the planning scans and dexa scans can give me a little peace of mind if nothing Untoward is seen….though I know it’s early days whilst still in treatment.

thanks x

Hi

The basic principles in radiography is to scan as little as possible to reduce radiation dose so for breast only it would be a couple of centimetres above and below breast tissue…..higher up into the neck if nodes are going to be treated.

Obviously the lungs etc will be seen on the scan too.As I said before anything out of the ordinary would be flagged to the oncologist.

Sorry I don’t know much about dexa scans so can’t comment.

Take care x

Thank you. It’s reassuring that lungs are having a second look and I’m having radio to the neck nodes and and possibly the sternum.

really hoping the dexa would see anything around spine and lower back as I’ve had pain here since my node clearance. Really hoping it’s just some kind of nerve damage as I’d had a CT just the week bfore so can’t imagine anything grew that fast but it’s been a few months now and you know how our minds go after all this. 

thanks for replying xxx

Hi Hel39

I understand your fears as we all feel the same at varying time..I know I do. To add to xraygirls very reassuring word I can share my experience of dexa scans as I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my spine only 6yrs before my BC diagnosis at the end of last year

When I had the feedback from the first scan the osteoporosis nurse said a had " nice spacing" in my spine. When I asked what she meant she said my spinal vertebra were not compressed and "looked good" ( I think due my pilates and dance classes!) 

Whilst a dexa scan is not a detailed diagnostic scan like a ct is does therefore show some level of detail about your spinal structure in particular for the part of the spine it scans ( I think lumbar but worth checking)  for her to comment on that I would think. If had any fractures etc she said they would have shown up 

Hope that helps a little xx

Thanks so much! Yes, it really does help. I know that because of my anxiety I am going to ask to be referred for Ct scans that I pay for maybe every couple of years….but they are so expensive. It’s non-Sensical  really as I could scan clear and then still relapse a few months later, which is why they don’t do them. But I would love just a few months every now and then of not waking up thinking ‘is it today’. Maybe as time goes on this will naturally improve but I was an anxious over-thinker before so this diagnoses hasn’t been good for me….even though I’m always on here telling people to be calm and I know there can be a positive outcome for most of us. Xx