Hi Coldcapper,
Good news about not loosing your hair. I completed chemo in November 2011 and had 33 rounds of radio therapy, which I finished in January this year. I, like you have a high chance of cancer returning (anywhere in my body). I was 48 when first diagnosed, partial mastectomy, 15 lymp nodes removed, ten had cancer and 4 had leakage.
I found RT a walk in the park compared to chemo. I followed the instructions regarding skin treatment and the side effects to the skin, although uncomfortable were OK (again compared to chemo, what a little bit of burnt skin). I also had to have it not only in the breast ara by high on the neck. I feel you are in a situation of robbing Peter to pay Paul, as you sign on the dotted line knowing that RT could cause cancer, how ironic. I think the RT has affected by ribs and will be speaking to my GP about it, as I'm starting to get pain in the last month or so. Would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced this.
Would I have RT again, knowing the long term effects. My answer is yes. I'm an optomist and I would like to think the advancement in cancer treatment would save me, if due to RT the cancer returned. However, how do we know that it was the RT that caused the cancer, especially since we are have already had cancer. I think you need to look at the percentages of survival rates of those women that have had similar cancer (stages, lymp nodes etc) and see what the percentage is of those women that only had chemo compared to those that had chemo and RC. I'm sure your oncologist could also provide you research on the long term effects of RT on the breast, as RT has been around for some time now.
I wish you well with your decision and treatment.
Cheers
Julie
