Optional radiation following mastectomy
Hi Everyone, Just looking for any advice you might have on the above. I'm 46 and had a Type 2, 4cm invasive DC with one lymph node involvement. First Wide Local Excision + Sentinel Node studies. Th...
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Hi @TaraV - that's a bugger that the one lymph node was involved ....... my husband had 50 lymph nodes tested with his cancer (Stomach Cancer) & he was given the choice of chemo or not. He leaned towards NOT ..... I leaned towards YES .... cos you only get the one shot at it, really & the involvement of one node is one too many. :( 9 years down the track, he is still with me - when only 25% others with the same condition can say the same.
I had my surgery this time last year & my Rad Onc gave me the option of a trial that was not going for rads or go with 'the norm' (as mine was found early, was small & had good clearance & not in the nodes) ..... but I preferred to go for the whole 4 week rads package (minus chemo) so that I knew I'd given it my best shot! I had the Rads in the public system, so at no cost - and I also had low-cost Hospital accommodation as I had to travel to Port Macquarie for my Rads Treatment - and was very happy with that.
You really need to go with your gut feeling ..... do you know other ladies who'd had BC treatment who have had (or not) had Rads? .... Can you chat with them about the treatment choices? At the end of the day, you need to be happy with your choice. Only you can make that choice.
Having Rads usually isn't anywhere near as debilitating as chemo ..... but if it decreases your chances of recurrence .... you need to be able to be happy with your choices.
I chose NOT to do the trial that didn't include rads - and had them. I am glad I did.
Take care, and all the best with your ongoing treatment xx
I had my surgery this time last year & my Rad Onc gave me the option of a trial that was not going for rads or go with 'the norm' (as mine was found early, was small & had good clearance & not in the nodes) ..... but I preferred to go for the whole 4 week rads package (minus chemo) so that I knew I'd given it my best shot! I had the Rads in the public system, so at no cost - and I also had low-cost Hospital accommodation as I had to travel to Port Macquarie for my Rads Treatment - and was very happy with that.
You really need to go with your gut feeling ..... do you know other ladies who'd had BC treatment who have had (or not) had Rads? .... Can you chat with them about the treatment choices? At the end of the day, you need to be happy with your choice. Only you can make that choice.
Having Rads usually isn't anywhere near as debilitating as chemo ..... but if it decreases your chances of recurrence .... you need to be able to be happy with your choices.
I chose NOT to do the trial that didn't include rads - and had them. I am glad I did.
Take care, and all the best with your ongoing treatment xx