Re: Radiation for breast cancer

wagirl · ‎03-09-2010

@LovemyBE wrote:
I will be ready for radiation treatments for stage one BC in a few weeks. My options are the standard 6 week / 5day or 3 week/ 5 day. Both have similar outcomes but fewer skin/breast side effects with the 3 week course. My radiologist said that in Europe and Canada the more standard treatment is 3 week. The US seems to have remained more conventional with the 6 week. I would like opinions and if anyone has done the 3 week tell me about it!
Thanks!!

Hi love--first of all, you will do just fine with radiation and I am glad that apparantly, no chemo was involved. That is fantastic. I am a 3 year BC survivor and had surgery, chemo and the rads for the 6 weeks and I have to say that I did very well with the rads as far as any burns. But 3 weeks is amazing!! I think my skin started getting pink by 3 weeks. I did baby my skin with lots of good skin care so make sure you ask about that from you rads team. Drink lots and lots of liquids. It really is a piece of cake compared to chemo. I know lots of rads-only girls say they get tired from it so be prepared for that and let yourself rest. Otherwise, so glad this is the only thing you have to do.

There is a cancer survivors thread here in wellness, that we would love you to join. Such a great group of people and we are truly cheerleaders for all that are going thru this stupid disease.

PAM

ginirn · ‎04-30-2010

@LovemyBE wrote:
I will be ready for radiation treatments for stage one BC in a few weeks. My options are the standard 6 week / 5day or 3 week/ 5 day. Both have similar outcomes but fewer skin/breast side effects with the 3 week course. My radiologist said that in Europe and Canada the more standard treatment is 3 week. The US seems to have remained more conventional with the 6 week. I would like opinions and if anyone has done the 3 week tell me about it!
Thanks!!

#1 bit of advise is make no decisions based on what you read here. I cannot stress that enough. Every single case is different and any advise should came from a physician who specializes in breast cancer treatment.. I've read some of the replies and although people are well meaning they cite entirely different situations. There are 5 different types of breast cancer and each has a different protocol. Yes as your Dr. what studies have been done and what results were. Of course Stage one should be the most curable.

bargainsgirl · ‎01-13-2012

Thanks for your reply! Sounds like your case is very similar to mine. According to my radiologist I am a candidate for the 3 week treatment and now the decision is mine. Apparently this 3 week plan is not so popular yet in the US at least not where I am in Upstate New York. We have excellent care here and I am very fortunate. Europe and Canada use this treatment and have been for years from what my doctor told me. The outcomes are the same and for some reason side effects are actually less with the 3 week treatment. I have my simulation today and see my surgeon Thursday so I will have the opportunity to ask more questions to help me make a sound decision. Did you also take oral meds ( hormone inhibitors) after radiation? That is also part of my treatment plan.

Thanks!!

sockmonkey · ‎06-26-2010

Hi, I'm not sure if you were asking me but, I'll answer anyway : )

Yes, I am also taking Tamoxifen (I started treatment when I was 55 and was not menopausal yet.)

You've probably already met with your oncologist where he/she goes over the percentages of chance of recurrence with the hormone inhibitors.

I was in a kind of weird position in that the chances of recurrence were exactly the same with or without the meds.

Needless to say, that led to so much research! Besides online research, my cousins are doctors, they recommended NOT taking the meds. My first oncologist (male) said to go on the meds, if I had any side effects, then just stop.

I wasn't crazy about him (he wouldn't give me a reason, kind of said "just do it because I said so") so, I switched oncologists. The new one said that if it were her, she would NOT take the meds.

But, I decided to take them (Tamoxifen). I do have hot flashes but, nothing too unbearable. I started a little over 2 years ago and tried switching to Arimidex a few months ago but, didn't feel quite right and the hot flashes were much worse, so I switched back to Tamoxifen.

Also, forgot to mention a couple of things about the radiation treatment. My situation was a little different than yours in that they didn't give me a choice (so much easier!). They just said there's a new regimen that is just as effective. I met with a couple of radiation oncologists who both agreed.

And, I did not notice any real fatigue with the treatment (probably because it's shorter).

If you have any other questions, I'm happy to share my experience.

Best of luck!

P.S. And, hopefully by the time you read this, your simulation is over. In hindsight, that was the scariest part - the rest is a piece of cake. The worst part of it for us was the 45 minute drive (just because of traffic!) each way, everyday.