Radiotherapy after mastectomy for DCIS
Hi there, I had a mastectomy in September this year for intermediate grade DCIS, 38mm. When the histology came back it showed no margin to the skin, and only a 0.3mm margin to the chest wall. I was referred for a discussion with a radiation oncologist, who said that there is limited research in this area, and that she would be happy to treat me, or happy for me to continue with no further treatment. I'm struggling to decide what to do. I was wondering if anyone else has been in the same situation, and what helped them to make a decision?
Radiation oncologist recommendations, Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
I am about to undergo a wide excision for DCIS and I will later be referred to a radiation oncologist. Wondering if anyone is happy to share their experience with particular radiation oncologists on the Sunshine Coast. I will likely be going down the private patient path if I do require radiation treatment, as I wish to have the DCISionRT test (I have just learned that both Genesis and Icon offer this test).
Radiation Therapy public vs private
Hi everyone, I have recently been diagnosed with DCIS High Grade and about to undergo a second surgery at a public hospital to extract more tissue via a re-excision. My question is how to go about deciding who to go with for Radiation Therapy which has already been recommended to me by my surgeon. I have heard about this decision tool called DCISionRT that Genesis Care provide which basically determines whether radiotherapy will be of benefit to me. I wanted to see if anyone out there has any experience with this company, the good the bad or the ugly or otherwise any general recommendations of where to go for radiation treatment in Melbourne. I am not so concerned with cost at this stage more general experience.New DCIS diagnosis in Brisbane
Hi all, I've had two lumpectomies now for DCIS, which was caught in a routine mammogram/ultrasound. I'm waiting for the final pathology results from the last op and will then move on to radiation therapy. I'm wondering what the wait times are like in the public system (probably RBH). My mum is worried I'll be waiting too long but the cost from the private surgeries/pathology/screening/anaesthetics etc. was around $5K before rebates. Does anyone have an idea of how long I'll wait and if that wait will be okay?
Emotional about DCIS and Potential Fatigue
I really empathise with a comment I read on this forum recently "I don't want to think of this as a big deal, but for some reason it kinda feels like a big deal." I was going to add my comments to that thread but that would have been hijacking someone else's discussion, so I thought I would start again. I was recently diagnosed with DCIS. I had a lumpectomy 2 weeks ago and pathology is good - only DCIS, clear margins, etc. The only thing left is 6 weeks of radiotherapy. I'm feeling very emotional about it all and worried about the potential fatigue. I live 90 minutes away from the hospital and I'm planning on driving down 2 days a week and staying at my daughter's house (only 15 minutes from the hospital) for the other 3 days (I'm currently there two days a week anyway babysitting my grandchildren, aged 4 and 1). Is this practical? I've read a lot about fatigue after Radiation Therapy. How common is it? Will I be able to cope with the children if we stay at home and don't go out? I'm 56 by the way. My daughters have both just returned to work after maternity leave so they can't get time off, and my husband works overseas (new job) and is only home 1 week out of 4. Or does this all come under the heading "how long is a piece of string"?Side Effects of Radiotherapy - What to expect
So, I've had 19 treatments with 6 more to go for breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy so my breast is still mostly intact. So far apart from being tired my skin has held up well with regular application of Sorbolene and a couple of days of of Elocon for itchiness. In your experience out there in breast cancer land is this as bad as it gets. I am not having the 5 focused boost treatments as the radiologist doesn't believe it is necessary because of my pathology results so I'm just have the wide area radiation.
Starting chemo
Hi Ladies, well I got results back from surgeon. 12mm Grade 2 invasive ductal cancer, all clear margins. DCIS, 10mm High grade. ER/PR neg HER2 +. Had to go back for 2nd surgery to get better margins for DCIS and also have had an infusaport inserted. Day 2 after surgery, still painful to move shoulder near infusaport but coping ok. I am starting chemo on 5th Sept and having 3 cycles of FEC 100, 3 cycles of Docetaxel and Trastuzumab (Herceptin) for the next 12 months. And sometime after finishing chemo I will be starting Radiation. (Drs appointment for this is 14th Aug). Been told will lose my hair, gone through all the side effects that can happen. Got myself a wig from the cancer council in Launceston. They have been marvellous. Looking at buying turbans, scarves etc. Also planning on getting my hair cut. Any advice on having it shaved - like how short do you go, before it falls out. My hair is shoulder length and the oncologist said it will come out in clumps. Well until I start my "chemo cocktail" stay happy and keep smiling :) Christina
Just a tad worried!!
Hi my name is Kate I was diagnosed with dcis in January this year I had my op two weeks later and was told that pathology came back and said I didn't have clear margins so I started my 25 radiation on the 1st March (which happen to be my birthday) anyway I finished my treatment on the 7th April and now the wait starts not knowing if they got it all and being told that they can't give me a mammogram till I'm not sore anymore around 12 months time and lately I have felt a cpl of new lumps in my breast one of them is very sore but they tell me they can't do anything till I can have another mammogram I'm just so worried and scared . i feel like crying people ask how am I doing and I always say I'm doing good but I'm not doesn't take much to make me cry is there anyone else feel like this thanks Kate xxx
DCIS - to be or not??
Just back from review appt. my diagnosis is not DCIS but IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma) with grade 1 and 2 cells which explains why I have had chemotherapy in addition to also facing surgery for a mastectomy. I wasn't actually scared before but now I am. The doctor was horrified when he saw the state of my hands, apparently hand/foot syndrome usually occurs after the 2nd or 3rd treatment of whatever cocktail I had on 7th october and not usually as bad as mine. I was very relieved when he said that I will have no more chemo if I did, the handfoot thing would only be worse and could possibly result in the skin of my hands splitting open and becoming infected causing all sorts of problems. What I have now should clear up soon - it looks like my hands have been badly sunburnt and are now peeling. The dose coud only be reduced minimally anyway. What will happen sooner is the surgery for mastectomy. I doubt I will be a hero (heroine) then, i shall cry like a baby of that I have no doubt. Easy now to be positive but I really hate operations and the thought of losing a part of me I've actually grown to like over the years - always big breasted - embarrassing when I was 16 but now they are just part of me. so surgery looks like being in next 2-4 weeks after a giving all the chemicals time to leave the body. Although in some ways, the actual diagnosis is scarier than DCIS, the prognosis has to be good and hopefully all those nasty cells will be got either by the chemo, the surgery or the radiotherapy to follow. i did say to surgeon that given my track record of side effects, it won't be a surprise if I develop lymphodema or anything else, I certainly have escaped no side effect or the early onset of those side effects. told the doctor I felt like I'd lived in hell for past nine weeks. Still onward and upward, moving on to next stage and truly hoping that all will be well and that I will be around for quite a few more years yet.
