Radiation therapy and effects on the heart
I've been told I'll need radiation therapy following a lumpectomy on my left breast (no lymph node involvement). As I've only recently had an aortic valve replacement in my heart, I started to wo...
Forum Discussion
Thanks, Tonya. You've given me some great practical advice on my concerns. I've already had the lumpectomy (2 weeks ago next Tuesday) ... and was prepared if the surgeon had advised a mastectomy.
But that was before I'd found out anything about the heart risk, especially given I have a tissue artificial heart valve. Boy, had I known, I would've strongly put a case for a mastectomy... if it either avoided the need for radiation or required less.
Losing a breast (& I'm only small breasted) is nothing compared with risk of a vital organ like my heart. I see the oncologist next Friday... & have also been referred to a radiation 'doctor'. So I'll sure talk with them about it.
The research said that there's a couple of heart-sparing radiation techniques that they use in the US cancer centres. One is deep breathing where the heart is pushed out of the radiation path. But it has to be carefully set up & measured. The other has the woman lying on her stomach...& only her breast pokes thro' a hole in a special table. So only that breast is exposed to the radiation. Maybe that'd protect the lungs, too???
I'd wonder why either of these are just not standard techniques for left breast radiation???? All women have hearts and lungs.