Fwd: Question about Radiography after DCIS Mastectomy

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>Hi. I don't have the same kind of cancer that you have; I have Stage III

>ductal invasive carcinoma. I'm about to have a bilateral mastectomy, with

>all my Level I and Level 2 lymph nodes removed on the cancerous breast.

>The other breast is coming off as a precaution because I have a 15% chance

>of developing cancer there. Anyhow, although I haven't had it yet,

>radiation has always been a part of my treatment plan. I will have it as

>soon as I've recovered from surgery. I've heard that it can make you very

>tired and can give you a bad sunburn. I'm not crazy about the idea of

>being treated for cancer with a substance that has been known to cause

>cancer, but it's quite common and I've never heard of breast cancer

>recurrences based on radiation. I have heard of one woman who had

>radiation to treat a different type of cancer, and she developed breast

>cancer as a result of that radiation. But if we already have breast

>cancer, radiation doesn't seem to increase the risk of recurrence or

>spreading. That's what it's supposed to prevent.

I don't think radiation generally affects the lungs, though I guess it can.

I also don't think it affects your mind, other than tiredness, which goes

away after the radiation treatments are over. Chemo is much worse in terms

of affecting the brain. My short-term memory is almost entirely shot, and I

can't remember nouns and keep saying the wrong one, to the amusement of my

family but to my own consternation.

I'm not sure what it means to have positive margins with a mastectomy. The

only cases of margin problems I've heard of have been with lumpectomies,

when it was possible to go back and remove more tissue. I'm sorry you have

to live with the uncertainty of positive margins, but it seems to me to

make radiation even more necessary for you, to get rid of the cancer cells

in the questionable areas that presumably can't be removed surgically.

Of course all this is only my own opinion, and, as you can see from my

decision to remove my other breast based on a fairly low percentage of

getting cancer in it (also for personal reasons), I am very conservative

and pro-active in choosing all the possible treatments I can have to help

ensure that I won't go from Stage III to Stage IV too soon. Among other

things, I watched my mother spend a year dying of breast cancer, which

wasn't much fun. But my point is, you are unique, like all of us, and of

course you need to make a decision based on what's right for you.

I'd suggest talking over your concerns with a radiologist before you

decide. He or she may be able to help you decide if it's worth the risks in

your case. I hope some of the other women on this list can help you more

than I can.

Best of luck,

Jill

I need to cross-check a doctor's advice.

Two months ago I was diagnosed with multiple DCIS sites in my right

breast. After much research I opted for a subcutaneous mastectomy

and TRAM flap reconstruction.

>Now my surgeon says that they found positive margins but nothing

>else. He is recommending a course of radiography. I have yet to

>talk to the radiographer however.

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>My surgeon told me that he was conservative about these things and

>that there was some controversy in the US about whether radiography

>gave any advantage to someone like myself. There are lots of studies

>(B-17 etc.) that show radiography has excellent results for women

>with lumpectomies and so forth but I can't find anything that

>references radiography for DCIS subcutaneous mastectomies.

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>I would like to find any information (web-sites, studies, etc.) which

>specifically adresses my case.

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>My overriding question is whether my surgeon is being too

>conservative and recommending a course of treatment that will have

>little effect on the possibility of cancer but will affect my health

>(lungs, mind, etc.) in other ways.

>

>Thanks

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