Breast cancer radiation after 70? What options have you considered?

I am 86 and supposed to start radiation but concerns about heart and lung damage as mine is left bresst. I wonder if anyone knows about proton ...less damage to good cells?

I finally had an appointment with my primary care doctor yesterday and I discussed the appointments with the medical and radiology oncologists. Being so distraught and confused, I asked for some guidance. Mind you it was not a recommendation, he said if it was his mom given the same statistics , he would tell her to do nothing, as I am in great health and value that I have no problems and I do not take any medication of any kind, besides vitamins and Pepcid ac. Why change my quality of life at this point when I am stage 0 cancer free. We will keep closely monitoring the situation with mammograms and or an MRI every 6 months.

Linda, you sound at peace with your decision.

I'm looking at a PRIME II trial including 1,326 women 65 and older diagnosed with early-stage hormone receptor positive, node-negative breast cancer that was 3CM or smaller in size. This was a six year study. 658 women received radiation after lumpectomy and 668 women received no radiation after lumpectomy.
10 year follow up: 9,5% who didn't receive radiation had a local recurrence, 0.9% of women who received radiation had local recurrence.
Here is the real kicker in Distant Recurrence: 1.6% for women who didn't receive radiation and 3% for women who received radiation. Overall survival rates: 80.8 for women who didn't receive radiation and 80.7% for women who recieved radiation.
This study did not take into account those that took endocrine therapy accounting for differences in rates.
I'll personally take no radiation and better distance recurrence rates.
Study can be found at breast cancer.org/research-news/radiation-survival-older-women

I’m 75 and getting ready to start radiation. This is an eye opener.

Question for flygirl747: are you planning on taking an AI or tamoxifen?
Also, what was your Oncotype score?

Absolutely less damage as the field is smaller and focused. Less potential damage to heart and lungs. I had proton at 79 and also used Mepitel Film. Had no burning at all! I urge you to pursue proton as a much better alternative to photon. All the best to you.

Total aside, my husband is a Cobb!!

I,m 77 and was diagnosed in May 2024. Had a lumpectomy. I had 2 lumps and 2 nodes involved.Largest was 1.2cm .Onco is 19. I decided not to radiate because I have a stent and did not think it would up my odds of it not recurring.I am taking Anastrozole with very mild side affects. Going for my 2nd appt. with the Oncologist at the end of the month. Keeping my fingers crossed.

No Oncotype testing done even though my type of cancer is only 10% of all breast cancer and LBC can be hereditary through the CBH1 gene.
Just finished surgery and will get to the endocrine therapy. No AI for me with bone situation.