7mm invasive ductal carcinoma

Oops 1 cm not 1 mm

@kods the Oncotype report shows how much benefit or lack thereof for chemo and also the risk and reduction of risk with tamoxifen over 5 years.

Here is one of the research articles for the 5 day protocol. This was done in Florence. It was the research my oncologist referred to.

Accelerated Partial-Breast Irradiation Compared With Whole-Breast Irradiation for Early Breast Cancer: Long-Term Results of the Randomized Phase III APBI-IMRT

The article pages have side bars. It makes the article twice as long because only half the page has research info.

Hi @mimzy - sorry to hear about your BC diagnosis. The waiting game and slow process of events up until surgery is so hard.

I had right breast, stage 1, 7 mm medium grade IDC, LVI in 2013 ER/PR+ HER2-, BRCA2 mutation, CHEK2 mutation (CHEK2 discovered years later). I had a choice, mastectomy or lumpectomy with radiation. I chose double mastectomy because of BRCA2 mutation. I was advised not to take tamoxifen (current onco disagrees), but in 2020 I had a BC recurrence in my chest wall so I wish I had taken the tamoxifen. Didn't give onco scores back then at least not to me.

With the high grade recurrence (Ki-67 50%) I had 37 radiation treatments on my right chest wall large 8" x 12" area. The daily process was very quick and easy. I worked up until the last two weeks of radiation when I had to stop due to severe fatigue, skin burns and inflammation triggered issues with my pre-x neuropathy that were uncommon. That all healed up fine. The CT scan shows I have a thin layer of scarring across my right lung from the radiation, but I didn't notice any respiratory difference (I already had lung issues). Your radiation will be breast, mine deeper in the chest.

Bottom line, I would still make the same choice to do the chest radiation. I had a positive margin after the 2020 chest wall/pectoral muscle tumor resection so the extensive radiation gave me comfort and happily I'm still here and doing well today (on Kisqali and Letrozole for 3 years now).

I worked with someone who had a lumpectomy and the 5 day radiation treatment protocol and had no issues with the radiation at all. Years later, she's still cancer free.

Prayers for you and your decision.

I had a lumpepctomy, chemo and radiation. Radiation was the easiest part. I went 5 days a week for 6 weeks. I had no skin problems afterwards. I was 79 at the time.

Keep us updated on how it is going! Will be praying for you! 🙏💕 same location?
What is the new diagnosis?

@mimzy, how are you doing? Any updates?

I am scheduled for lumpectomy on 2/28. Path report came back Estrogen + progesterone + and HER2 negative. I will have radiation - number of visits to be determined. The breast surgeon said I will be on AIs. I’m rethinking this. The side effects listed are awful. I also have strong familial cardic history and personal history of elevated BP and elevated cholesterol. I take meds for both. I’m wondering what my recurrence risk would be without the AI. I also have kidney issues that I don’t want to worsen. Any thoughts re AIs?

See below. Thank you for checking on me

@mimzy many of us do not have awful side effects with AI's. Not sure but maybe you could try it? For me, switching type of med and manufacturer helped a lot.

Did you have an Oncotype test? That should give you and idea of risk with and without an AI (though it is based on tamoxifen). For me, my risk was cut from 12% to 6%.