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Recurrence of breast cancer after 17 years
I had a masectomy 17 years ago, no radiation or Hormone therapy. I just had surgery to remove a 1.1cm tumor I found in my scar tissue. I am 71 years old with HER2 negative, Stage 0, Hormone Receptor positive. I don't want radiation. In everything I am reading, the only reason I should get radiation is because my cancer came back. The oncologist told me I will have "slight" lung damage. Does everyone get lung damage? Also, my replaced implant might get hard for live? Has anyone experienced that?
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I had radiation for breast cancer in 2020 and I have what the radiologist believes is a scar on my lungs. I also notice I can't cough as robust as I used to. There are times I notice I can’t take as deep of a breath as I was able to previously. This has been my experience six years post radiation.
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1 ReactionI’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. I had an aggressive recurrence in my chest wall 7 years after mastectomies, no reconstruction. I had a positive margin after the chest wall tumor resection. I ended up with some thin lung scarring from 37 radiation treatments. I honestly haven't noticed any breathing issues from it. If you have radiation, my suggestion would be to find a facility with the most state-of-the-art technology for minimal collateral damage.
I asked AI for suggestions regarding state-of-the-art radiation since mine was 5.5 years ago. Here’s the AI summary. I do remember having to hold my breath. You can just paste the summary into Google AI mode and ask for a full explanation of each treatment option mentioned to learn more. It may help you with questions for your oncologist. Knowledge is power for being your own advocate. Sorry your cancer came back. Wishing you the best.
Per AI- While most facilities can deliver standard radiation, specialized centers—like NCI-designated or academic cancer centers—often have more advanced equipment designed specifically to reduce "collateral damage" to the lungs and implants. I’d suggest asking your oncologist if they have 'state-of-the-art' options like DIBH (Breath Hold), Prone (face down) positioning, or SGRT tracking. These are designed to be much more precise to protect the lungs and implant. You might also ask if you’re a candidate for Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) since your recurrence is Stage 0—it treats a much smaller area than standard radiation.
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1 ReactionThank you Zebra. Very helpful
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Thank you. I really minded the oncologist saying the lung scar will not be an issue. How does he know that?
You are giving me more strength to continue to question, question .,,,,
My implants are still soft but my breast shrank and is higher on my chest. Many blessings 💕❤️💕
Have you checked into Proton Radiation treatment, instead of Photon (regular) radiation? It is specifically for smaller & wider area post-surgery radiation within the breast, and is much more pinpoint than regular, not passing through surrounding tissue. Not sure who offers this except my own local Fred hutch Cancer Proton Therapy at UW Medical in Seattle. Here's a description with images to see what it entails: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/patient-care/treatments/proton-therapy/breast-cancer.html