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Radiation or not for breast cancer with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Nov 15 1:18pm | Replies (11)Comment receiving replies
@sbeechl, I updated the title of your discussion to reflect your specific question and added it to the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy group (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy-hcm/) as well.
There are several discussions in the breast cancer group where members have discussed their decisions about radiation. You might be interested in these discussion relevant to you:
- Radiation or not https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/radiation-or-not/
- Does anybody know about heart problems with radiation? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/does-anybody-know-about-heart-problems-with-radiation/
- Deciding on Radiation : Photon or Proton? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/deciding-radiation-photon-or-proton/
There are many more if you wish to use the group search https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/breast-cancer/
Heart issues can be a concern with some treatment options. In your situation, you have a know heart condition. You may ask about a cardio-oncology specialist or department.
Mayo Clinic offers a program to address heart problems associated with cancer treatment called cardio-oncology or for people who have a pre-existing heart condition when diagnosed with cancer. The Cardio-Oncology Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/cardio-oncology-clinic/overview/ovc-20442193) evaluates people prior to cancer treatment and patients who have experienced side effects due their treatment, and can help evaluate treatment when you have both cancer and heart conditions.
@sbeechl, is your oncology team aware that you have HCM? Have you discussed proton beam vs traditional radiation? How is your HCM managed currently?
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@colleenyoung Thank you. I had a septal myectomy in 2021 at the Mayo in Rochester. Then in December 2021 I had an ICD put in. I am taking metoprolol twice a day and aspirin. I'm actually doing well with my heart. Now March of 2025 I was diagnosed with IDC stage 2b. I have a high oncotype and MammaPrint and ki-67 was 93%. I went to Mayo in Scottsdale for workups. Decided to do chemotherapy in my hometown as Mayo is out of network and they said there was no problem with doing it at home since they weren't going to do anything special that couldn't be done where I live. TC six rounds. No red devil because of my heart issues. Then surgery came up and I had to cancel in Mayo because insurance was not going to pay and after paying for most of my open-heart surgery in cash, I decided I wasn't going to do that again especially when it can be covered in my town. So now my radiation oncologist wants it moved to the other side or she won't do it. I'm leery about removing it after 4 years of scar tissue build up. Also, the whole radiation effects on heart and lung have me skittish. My recurrence rate is 25% without radiation. Had I been told that lumpectomy "with radiation" is same as mastectomy instead of lumpectomy vs. mastectomy is same, I might have opted for mastectomy. Right now im on the fence. I see another cardiologist who specializes in removing and relocation of ICD's. But where I live the prospect of doing it safely here is questionable.