Radiotherapy or not

Totally understand where you are coming from. My oncologist was a little kinder in approach. She said I was borderline because my cancer was early stage, clear margins and lymph node clear. She went through everything very thoroughly. I had raised concerns about sticking with Hormone Therapy treatment if my quality of life was compromised with adverse reactions. She said if there was a chance I might stop HT it would be sensible to have short course of radiotherapy. My syrgeon also recommended radiitherapy. It is much harder when they leave the decision to you but I and my husband both felt for me it was the best course of action.  So far so good. I feel pretty well after completing radiotherapy on 11 November and finally feel for the first time since my diagnosis in August that I am starting to feel normal again. I am sure there will be hiccups ahead. Only you can make the decision but whatever you decide I am sure you will be fine.  Your tumour size was tiny, mine was 20 mm, so maybe that is why oncologist is suggesting no radiotherapy. It isn’t as simple as just having five days of radiation as the after affects can last a very long time. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Hi  

It's very difficult isn't it?  I'd always suggest to trust your oncologist, but it is so difficult to have him say don't go for radio. when it is one of the belt and braces of ensuring that any potential cells are 'mopped up' as part of normal procedure.  I had oestrogen positive, so no chemo and I was pleased to have had radio. to know that it was one of the two belt and braces (the other being the tablets).

Some people do get reactions to the radio - fatigue especially and burning.  I know I would have said no to chemo. if I'd had the option of having it or not by the oncologist, but I am pretty sure I would have said yes to radio. if I'd been given the option as I had 15mm IDC and 54mm of DCIS.  The question perhaps to ask is that even though you had cancer of 1mm, is there ANY possibility, even miniscule - that there could be stray microscopic cells that might not have been picked up in surgery?  If the answer to that is yes, then I know what my answer would be to radiotherapy.

If you do decide for radio. then drink more than you ever think is possible.  I went at the same time as 3 other ladies - 2 didn't drink much and 2 of us did.  We didn't suffer fatigue, whereas the lesser drinkers did suffer very badly.  Use creams (an aloe vera gel is similar to expensive radio. gels)  to avoid too much radio. burning.  I did get some underneath my breast from my bra strap rubbing on the cream.  I had 15 sessions and would have stopped using it under my breast after 10 - this was over 5 years ago, so may only be the 5 extra powerful sessions which seem to have replaced a lot of the 15 sessions.  I had left sided radiotherapy and there is also the 'risk to the heart', but I've been fine and no issues with lungs either.  The team were fantastic and their planning / positioning during the sessions is there to ensure that you are as safe as possible.

Hope this helps a little with your decision making.

Kindest wishes, Lesley

I had 11mm of DCIS removed followed by 15 sessions of radiotherapy.  I had no invasive cells but my surgeon felt this best option.  This was 7 years ago. One thing to note is you can never have radiotherapy twice to same breast so if you have recurrence or new primary then radiotherapy will not be an option making mastectomy the main treatment.